s^,-^  ^ 


^^VV 


v^  ^.y: 


ite'R. 


;^SP^^'^s^^ 


1.:^ 


'^W"^W^ 


W„«v»i^-c/)>«My, 


I  i «'/, 


M  iscell^neoMS  ~^0\  trvpn  ler 


VC2I ,  2,1. 


I  1 1 


MINUTES 


OP    THE 


"^PHILADELPHIA    CONVENTION 


OF 


MINISTERS  AND  RULING  ELDERS 


IN   THE 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


CALLED    BY   THE 


MINORITY  OF  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  OF  1836. 


MAY  11,  1837. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED    FOR    THE    CONVENTION. 

1837. 


WM.     S.    MARTIEN, 
PRINTER. 


MINUTES. 

Thursday,  May  11,  1837,  10  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  Convention  of  Presbyterian  Ministers  and  Ruling  Elders  re- 
commended by  the  Committee  appointed  by  the  minority  of  the  last 
General  Assembly,  met,  agreeably  to  appointment,  in  the  Sixth  Presby- 
terian Church,  Philadelphia,  and  was  temporarily  organized  by  the  elec- 
tion of  the  Rev.  James  Blythe  D.  D.  as  Chairman,  and  the  Rev.  Tho- 
mas D.  Baird,  as  Secretary. 

The  Convention  was  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Chairman. 
On  motion  it  was, 

Resolved,  That  Rev.  Dr.  Cuyler,  Rev.  James  Coe,  and  Walter  Low- 
rie,  Esq.  be  a  Committee  to  receive  the  Commissions  of  the  Delegates 
appointed  by  Presbyteries  and  Minorities  of  Presbyteries  to  attend  this 
Convention,  and  that  they  report  the  roll  to-morrow  morning. 

Resolvedy  That  Rev.  G.  A.  Baxter,  D.  D.  George  Junkin,  D.  D. 
Rev.  Messrs.  A.  D.  Campbell,  H.  H.  Hopkins,  S.  H.  Crane,  H.  S. 
Pratt,  and  J.  C.  Irwin,  Elder,  be  a  committe  to  nominate  a  list  of  offi- 
cers and  propose  rules  for  the  due  organization  of  this  Convention  and 
report  to-morrow  morning.     It  was  then. 

Resolved,  That  the  Convention  spend  this  day  in  humiliation  and 
prayer  before  God,  to  seek  the  Divine  aid  and  direction  in  the  discharge 
of  the  important  duties  to  which  it  is  called ;  and,  that  the  exercises 
consist  in  prayer,  praise,  and  exhortation  under  the  direction  of  the 
Chairman,  together  with  a  sermon  in  the  evening. 

The  Rev.  Joshua  L.  Wilson,  D.  D.  was  appointed  to  preach  the 
sermon. 

Agreeably  to  the  foregoing  arrangement,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Baxter,  Wither- 
spoon.  Green,  and  Mr.  Coe  led  in  prayer ;  when  the  Convention  took 
a  recess  until  half  past  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 

Thursday  Afternoon,  3^  o'clock. 

After  recess,  the  Convention  met  and  resumed  the  religious  exercises 
of  the  day.  Dr.  Junkin,  Mr.  Tate,  and  Mr.  Krebs  led  in  prayer,  and 
Dr.  Goulding  and  Mr.  Plumer  delivered  suitable  addresses. 

A  sermon  was  preached  in  the  evening  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wilson, 
from  John  xiv.  1.  "Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  ;  ye  believe  in 
God,  believe  also  in  me." 

Adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  morning  at  9  o'clock. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 


4  MINUTES    OP    THE 

Friday  Mormng,  May  12th,  9  o'clock. 

The  Convention  met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  was  opened  with 
prayer.     The  minutes  of  yesterday  were  read. 

Dr.  CuYLER,  from  the  Committee  of  Commissions,  reported  the  fol- 
lowing list  of  persons  duly  commissioned  to  sit  as  members  of  the  Con- 
vention : 

ROLL  OF  THE  CONVENTION. 

Note. — Although  some  of  the  delegates  came  in  on  the  second  and  third  days  of 
the  sessions,  yet  they  are  all  included  in  the  following  roll,  instead  of  having  tiieir 
names  entered  at  the  time  of  their  appearance. 

The  names  with  the  asterisk  (*)  were  appointed  hy  minorities,  the  following 
being  exceptions  :  viz. 

The  Presbytery  of  Marion  did  not  appoint  a  delegate,  but  expressed  their  wil- 
lingness that  Mr.  Dolbear  might,  on  his  own  responsibility,  attend. 

Mr.  Redington,  from  the  Presbytery  of  Ontario,  appeared  and  was  admitted  as 
constituting  the  only  minority  of  his  Presbytery  favourable  to  the  Convention. 

Mr.  Bouion,  from  the  Presbytery  of  Trumbull,  was,  as  standing  alone  in  his 
Presbytery,  commissioned  by  his  Session,  and  the  minority  of  a  neighbouring 
Church. 

Mr.  Piatt,  from  the  Presbytery  of  Albany,  was  admitted,  although  the  minority 
of  liis  Presbytery  had  not  acted  on  the  subject  of  the  Convention. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Alleghany, 
Albany, 
Bedford, 
Baltimore, 

Beaver, 

Blairsville, 

Columbus, 

Carlisle, 
«( 

Charleston  Onion, 
(( 

Cincinnati, 

Concord, 

Erie, 

East  Hanover, 

FayelleviUe, 

Flint  Jiiver, 

Georgia, 

Genesee, 


MINISTERS. 

J.  VV.  Johnson, 

Reuben  Frame, 
R.  J.  Breckinridge, 
G.  W.  Musgrave, 
Wm.  0.  Stratton, 
Watson  Hughes, 
Elias  Van  Deman, 
Thomas  Crcigh, 
M.  B.  Patterson, 
Thomas  Smyth* 
W.  A.  McDowell,  D.D 
J.  L.  Wilson,  D.  D.* 
Walter  S.  Pharr, 
S.  Tait, 

William  S.  Plumer, 
Archibald  McQueen. 
T.  Goulding,  D.  D. 
H.  S.  Pratt, 


ELDERS. 

Walter  Lowrie. 
Annanias  Piatt.* 
John  Owen. 


James  Adair. 
Joseph  Cook. 
Wm.  Patterson. 
David  FuUerton. 


William  Cumback. 
G.  Andrews. 
J.  McCrackin. 
John  Dunn. 
David  G.  Colt. 


Donald  Eraser,  jr. 


PHILADELPHIA    CONVENTION. 


PRESBYTERIES. 

Harmony, 

Hopewell, 

Huntingdon, 

Indianopolis, 

Kaskaskia, 

Louisiana, 

Louisville, 

Lancaster, 

Lexington, 

Madison, 

Marion, 

Mississippi, 

Miami, 

Morgantown, 

Nashville, 

New  Brunswick, 

n 

New  Castle, 

n 

New  Fork, 

a 

Newton, 

n 

Northumberland, 
Orange, 
Ohio, 
(( 

Ontario, 

Oxford, 

Philadelphia, 

n 

Philadelphia  2d, 

Redstone, 

Richland, 

Roanoke, 

Rochester, 

Sidney, 

South  Carolina, 

Schuyler, 

Susquehanna, 

Steubenville, 


MINISTERS. 

J.  Witherspoon,  D.  D. 
C.  W.  Howard, 
McK.  Williamson, 
J.  W.  McKennan, 
J.  Stafford, 
James  Smylie, 
H.  H.  Hopkins, 
Samuel  Wilson, 
John  Hendren, 
James  Blylhe,  D.  D. 
Wm.  Dolbear,* 
J.  H.  Vancourt, 
Simeon  H.  Crane, 

A.  L.  Watts, 
James  Galbraith, 
Isaac  V.  Brown, 
J.  L.  Shafer, 

J.  N.  C.  Grier, 
W.  F.  Houston, 
George  Potts, 
John  Goldsmith, 
George  Junkin,  D.  D. 

B.  I.  Lowe, 
John  H.  Grier, 
Eli  W.  Caruthers, 
T.  D.  Baird, 

A.  D.  Campbell, 
John  H.  Redington,* 
P.  H.  Golliday, 
Wm.  M.  Engles, 
John  W.  Grier, 

C.  C.  Cuyler,  D.  D. 
William  Annan, 
Adam  Torrence, 

S.  L.  Graham,  D.  D. 
Jacob  Hart,* 
James  Coe, 
Anthony  W.  Ross, 
W.  K.  Stewart, 
John  Dorrance, 
Benjamin  Mitchell, 


ELDERS. 

John  C.  Colt. 

Henry  Long. 
Isaac  Coe. 
James  H.  Rice. 
Nath.  Smylie. 
C.  S.  Todd. 
Robert  Miller. 
J.  Alexander- 
Robert  Marshall. 


David  Osborne. 

John  Patten. 
John  Voorhees. 
David  W.  Vail. 
John  Robinson. 
Nath.  W.  Semple. 
Samuel  Boyd. 
James  Lenox. 
Thomas  McKeen. 
George  W.  Smith. 
J.  B.  Boyd. 

John  Gladden. 
Thomas  Kiddoo. 


Cliarles  J.  Davis. 
Charles  Woodward. 
James  Darrach. 
Natlianiel  Ewing. 
James  B.  Turner. 


Thomas  Marquis,  sr. 
J.  W.  Simpson. 
W.  Bailey. 
Isaac  Harris. 
John  Hannah. 


PRESBYTERIES, 

Salem, 

Trumbull, 

Troy, 

Tuscaloosa, 

Vincennes, 

West  Hanover, 

fVatertown, 
Western  District, 
West  Lexington, 
Winchester, 
Washington, 
Wooster, 


MINUTES    OF    THE 
SIINISTERS. 

Alex.  Williamson,* 
Enoch  Boutoii,* 
Reuben  Smith,* 
N.  R.  Morgan, 
Hugh  H.  Patten, 
G.  A.  Baxter,  D.  D. 
Andrew  Hart, 
E.  H.  Snowden,* 
Samuel  Hodge, 
Charles  Stuart, 
William  H.  Foot, 
James  Hervey, 
Thomas  Beer, 


ELDERS. 


David  Johnson. 
Minard  S.  Smith. 
Samuel  C.Anderson. 


James  Greer. 
J.  M.  C.  Irwin. 

Jacob  Slagle. 
Joseph  McComb. 


The  Rev.  A.  D.  Campbell  from  the  Committee  for  nominating 
Officers  and  Preparing  Rules  for  the  Convention,  reported,  and  their 
report  was  adopted,  appointing 

Rev.  G.  A.  Baxter,  D.  D.     President  of  Convention. 
"     C.  C.  CuvLER,  D.  D.      Vice  President, 
"     T.  D.  Baird,     Recording  Clerk. 
"     H.  S.  Pratt,     Reading  Clerk. 

The  Report  also  recommended  the  adoption  of  the  rules  contained 
in  our  Book  of  Discipline,  for  the  government  of  the  Convention  in  its 
deliberations  as  far  as  they  may  be  applicable  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  case. 

Dr.  Wilson,  and  Mr.  Engles,  were  appointed  a  committee  to  cor- 
rect the  roll  and  examine  such  commissions  as  may  yet  be  presented 
to  this  body. 

After  some  discussion,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  Convention  go  into  committee  of  the  whole,  on 
the  State  of  the  Church  ;  Dr.  Whitherspoon  in  the  chair. 

A  paper  on  the  State  of  the  Church  was  then  read  by  Dr.  Wilson 
from  the  minority  of  the  Presbytery  of  Cincinnati;  after  which  the 
committee  rose,  reported  progress,  and  asked  leave  to  sit  again.  The 
Convention  then  had  a  recess  until  half  past  three  o'clock. 


Friday  Afternoon,  3.^  o'clock. 

After  recess,  the  Convention  met  and  went  into  committee  of  the 
whole,  on  the  State  of  the  Church,  Dr.  J.  L.  Wilson  in  the  Chair. 

Communications  were  read  from  the  Presbyteries  of  Lancaster, 
Blairsville,  Carlisle,  and  Richland ;  and  other  papers  from  Rev.  Mr. 


PHILAOELPHIA   CONVENTION.  7 

Engles,  Rev.  J.  H.  Kennedy,  Rev.  R.  G.  Wilson,  D.  D.  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Bouton. 

After  these  papers  had  been  received,  it  was 

Resolved,  To  call  upon  the  Presbyteries  in  the  order  of  the  roll,  for 
the  purpose  of  eliciting  facts  relative  to  the  present  State  of  the  Church, 
and  suggestions  adapted  to  the  exigency  of  the  case. 

After  some  progress  in  calling  the  roll,  the  committee  rose,  reported 
progress,  and  asked  leave  to  sit  again.  The  Convention  then  adjourn- 
ed until  9  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

Saturday,  May  13,  9  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  Convention  met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  was  opened  with 
prayer.     The  minutes  of  yesterday  were  read. 

The  Convention  resolved  itself  into  committee  of  the  whole,  Dr- 
Wilson  in  the  Chair.  The  calling  upon  the  Presbyteries  was  resumed, 
and  after  some  progress  the  Committee  rose,  reported  progress,  and 
asked  leave  to  sit  again.  The  Convention  then  had  a  recess  until  half 
past  3  o'clock,  P.  M. 

Saturday  Afternoon,  3^  o'clock. 

After  recess  the  Convention  met,  and  resumed  business. 
On  motion,  it  was 

Resolved,  That  the  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  L.  "Wilson,  D.  D.,  G.  A.  Bax- 
ter, D.  D.,  W.  H.  Foot,  J.  Witherspoon,  D.  D.,  G.  W.  Musgrave, 
George  Potts,  and  W.  M.  Engles,  and  N.  Ewing,  S.  Anderson  and  S. 
Boyd,  Ruling  Elders,  be  a  Committee  to  prepare  business  for  the  Con- 
vention, while  the  calling  of  the  roll  proceeds. 

The  Convention  then  went  into  Committee  of  the  whole.  Dr. 
Witherspoon  in  the  Chair.  After  some  progress,  the  Committee  rose, 
and  the  Convention  adjourned  until  Monday  morning  at  9  o'clock. 

Concluded  with  prayer. 

Monday,  May  15,  9  o'clock,  A.  M. 
The  Convention  met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  was  opened 
with  prayer.    The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were  read.     Convention 
went  into  Committee  of  the  whole,  Mr.  Plumer  in  the  Chair. 
On  motion,  it  was 
Resolved,  That  the  regular  calling  of  the  roll  be  suspended,  with  a 
view  to  hear  from  the  Presbyteries  of  Schuyler,  Watertown,  Troy, 
Rochester,  Kaskaskia,  Trumbull,  and  Ontario.  After  hearing  statements 


O  MINUTES    Ol'    THK 

from  some  of  these  Presbyteries,  the  Committee  rose  and  reported 
progress,  when  the  Convention  took  a  recess  until  half  past  3  o'clock. 

Monday  Afternoon,  85  o'clock. 

After  recess,  the  Convention  going  into  Committee  of  the  whole  as 
before,  the  other  Presbyteries  above  mentioned,  with  the  addition  of 
those  of  Soutli  Carolina  and  New  York  were  heard,  when  the  Com- 
mittee rose. 

Dr.  Wilson,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Business,  reported  in 
part.  The  report  being  accepted,  was  read  by  paragraphs,  but  before 
it  was  finished,  the  Convention  adjourned  until  to-morrow  morning  at 
9  o'clock.     Concluded  with  prayer. 

Tuesday,  May  16,  9  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  Convention  met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  was  opened  with 
prayer. 

The  unfinished  business  was  taken  up,  and  the  report  of  the  Com- 
mittee was  further  considered. 

Dr.  Wilson,  Chairman  of  the  Business  Committee,  made  an  ad- 
ditional report,  which  was  placed  on  the  docket,  and  the  Convention 
then  resumed  the  consideration  of  the  first  report,  but  before  any  final 
action,  a  recess  until  half  past  3  o'clock  was  agreed  to. 

Tuesday  Afteunoon,  3i  o'clock. 

After  the  recess,  the  Convention  resumed  the  unfinished  business, 
and  the  report  of  the  Committee  was  amended  and  adopted.  [There- 
port  is  incorporated  in  the  Memorial.] 

A  resolution  was  offered  by  the  Rev.  I.  V.  Brown,  which  was  referred 
to  the  Business  Committee.     It  was  then 

Resolved,  That  Messrs.  Breckinridge,  Potts,  Smyth,  of  S.  C, 
Ewing,  and  FuUerton,  be  a  Committee  to  prepare  a  Memorial  to  be 
presented  to  the  next  General  Assembly. 

A  resolution  was  oflered  by  the  Committee  on  Business,  respecting 
the  verification  of  the  rights  of  members  to  seats  in  the  General  As- 
sembly, which  was  recommitted. 

A  resolution  was  ofliered  in  relation  to. a  division  of  the  Churcli, 
which  was  committed  to  the  same  Committee.  Adjourned  to  meet  to- 
morrow morning,  at  9  o'clock.     Concluded  with  prayer. 


PHILADELPHIA   CONVENTION.  9 

Wednesday,  May  17,  9  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  Convention  met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  was  opened  with 
prayer.     The  minutes  of  the  last  session  were  read. 

The  Chairman  of  the  business  Committee  made  another  report  in 
continuation,  which  was  amended,  and  adopted,  [the  report  is  incorpo- 
rated in  the  Memorial.] 

A  motion  was  made  respecting  Presbyterian  ministers  placed  over 
Congregational  Churches,  which  after  some  discussion  was  referred  to 
Messrs.  Plumer,  Cuyler,  Blythe,  and  Morgan. 

Mr.  Plumer  offered  the  following  resolution  which  was  unanimously 
adopted :  viz. 

Resolved,  That  as  these  are  times  of  high  and  dangerous  excitability 
in  the  public  mind,  when  imprudent  or  partizan  men  may  do  great  in^ 
jury,  especially  when  they  have  facilities  for  operating  on  a  large  field, 
the  Convention  is  of  opinion  that  the  General  Assembly  ought  to  make 
known  to  our  national  associations  not  previously  noticed  in  the  votes 
of  this  Convention,  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  expects  of  them  pe- 
culiar caution,  in  the  selection  of  their  travelling  agents,  and  that  it 
ought  to  be  regarded  as  peculiarly  unkind  in  any  of  them  to  give  to  the 
correspondence,  or  general  bearing  of  these  institutions,  a  bias  against 
the  strictest  order  and  soundest  principle,  in  our  beloved  branch  of  the 
Church  of  Christ. 

It  was  then  moved  that  if  the  General  Assembly  shall  refuse  to  adopt 
some  plan  of  substantial  reform,  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  Con- 
vention to  adopt  some  ulterior  and  decided  measures.  After  some 
discussion  the  Convention  had  a  recess  until  3|  o'clock. 

Wednesday  Afternoon,  3^  o'clock. 
The  discussion  of  the  propriety  of  ulterior  measures  was  again  re- 
sumed and  continued  until  the  Convention  took  a  recess  until  8  o'clock. 

8  o'clock,  P.  M. 

The  unfinished  business  was  resumed,  and  it  was  finally  resolved 
to  defer  the  further  consideration  of  the  matter  until  the  first  meeting 
after  the  organization  of  the  Assembly. 

Resolved,  That  Messrs.  Engles  and  Baird  be  a  Committee  to  have 
2500  copies  of  the  minutes  of  this  Convention  printed  for  distribution 
among  the  Presbyteries  or  minorities  of  Presbyteries  represented  in 
this  Convention. 

Resolved,  That  Messrs.  Breckinridge,  Pratt,  and  Ewing,  Commis- 
sioners to  the  General  Assembly,  be  requested  to  contest  the  right  to 
seats  of  any  claiming  to  be  Commissioners  to  said  Assembly,  who  may 
be  supposed   to  be    constitutionally  ineligible,   or  not  duly  elected. 

2 


10  MINUTES    OF    THE 

Adjourned  to  meet  to-morrow  morning,  at  9  o'clock.     Concluded  with 
prayer. 

Thursday,  May  18,  9  o'clock,  A.  M. 

The  Convention  met  agreeably  to  adjournment,  and  was  opened  with 
prayer. 

A  motion  was  made  by  Mr.  Coe,  which  was  referred  to  the  business 
Committee. 

It  was  then 

Resolved,  That  we  will  give  a  just  and  decided  preference  to  such 
religious  periodicals  and  papers  as  are  sound  in  the  faith,  and  Christian 
in  their  spirit ;  at  the  same  time  discountenancing  those  of  an  opposite 
character.  And  more  particularly,  that  we  will  give  a  cordial  and  ade- 
quate support  to  such  Presbyterian  publications,  as,  during  the  great 
controversy  which  now  shakes  our  Church,  have  ever  been  found,  the 
open,  firm,  and  consistent  advocates  of  the  whole  truth  of  God,  as  laid 
down  in  our  inestimable  standards.  And  we  earnestly  recommend  this 
course  to  all  who  in  sincerity  and  truth,  love  the  doctrines  and  polity  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  these  United  States. 

The  convention  had  a  recess  for  half  an  hour,  and  after  the  recess, 
the  Committee  on  the  Memorial  reported  in  part,  when  it  was 

Resolved,  To  have  a  recess  until  8  o'clock  this  evening. 

* 
8  o'clock,  P.  M. 

After  recess  the  Convention  met. 

Mr.  Engles  offered  two  resolutions  proposing  to  the  other  party  in 
the  Church,  the  terms  of  amicable  separation  ;  these  resolutions  were 
laid  on  the  table,  that  the  Convention  might  offer  up  thanksgiving  to 
Almighty  God,  for  the  present  favourable  indications  in  the  General 
Assembly,  by  the  election  this  day  of  an  orthodox  Moderator  and 
Clerks.  After  prayer,  the  unfinished  business  was  resumed,  and  the 
memorial  being  read  was  adopted ;  and  it  was  ordered  that  it  be  signed 
by  the  ofiicers  of  the  Convention  ;  and  that  5U0  copies  of  it  be  imme- 
diately printed  for  the  use  of  the  Convention  and  Assembly. 

The  Convention  then  adjourned  to  meet  at  the  call  of  the  President 
or  at  the  request  of  any  five  members.     Concluded  witli  prayer. 

[The  Convention  met  frequently  during  the  sessions  of  the  General 
Assembly,  in  connexion  with  orthodox  members  of  that  body,  for  the 
purpose  of  consultation  on  the  state  of  the  Church.  As  these  meetings 
were  principally  conversational  ones,  there  were  no  minutes  made  of 
the  proceedings.  The  Convention  finally  adjourned  immediately  after 
the  adjournment  of  the  General  Assembly,  on  Thursday,  June  8th, 
1837.] 


PHILADELPHIA     CONVENTION.  1  1 


TESTIMONY   AND    MEMORIAL. 

When  any  portion  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  is  called  in  his  pro- 
vidence to  take  a  step  which  may  materially  afl'ect  their  Master's  cause, 
and  influence  for  good  or  ill  the  destinies  of  large  portions  of  mankind 
through  successive  generations  ; — it  is  a  very  plain,  as  well  as  solemn 
duty,  to  state  clearly  the  reasons  of  their  conduct — the  evils  of  which 
they  complain — the  objects  at  which  they  aim — and  the  remedies 
which  they  propose.  This  Convention,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  members,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  twelve  are  delegated 
by  fifty-four  Presbyteries,  and  twelve  by  minorities  in  eight  other 
Presbyteries,  all  of  which  members  are  ministers  or  ruling  elders  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America  ;  after  ma- 
ture deliberation,  full  consultation  with  each  other,  and  earnest  prayer 
to  God  for  direction,  have  agreed  on  the  following  memorial,  and  do 
hereby  respectfully  lay  it  before  the  General  Assembly  now  in  session — 
and  through  it  before  all  the  churches  and  the  whole  world,  as  our  so- 
lemn, and  as  we  trust  effective  Testimony  against  evils  which  faithful- 
ness to  God,  and  to  the  world,  will  no  longer  permit  us  to  endure. 

Tiiat  we  have  not  been  rash  and  hasty,  nor  manifested  a  factious  op- 
position, to  errors  and  disorders,  which  were  only  of  small  extent,  or 
recent  introduction,  is  manifestly  proven  by  the  fact  that  these  evils 
have  been  insidiously  spreading  through  our  Church  for  many  years — 
and  that  they  have  at  length  become  so  mature,  and  so  diffused,  as  not 
only  to  pervade  large  portions  of  the  Church,  but  to  reign  triumphantly 
over  the  body  itself,  through  successive  General  Assemblies.  On  the 
other  hand,  that  we  have  not  been  wholly  faithless  to  our  Master  and 
to  truth,  we  appeal  to  the  constant  efforts  of  some  through  the  press 
and  pulpit — to  the  firm  and  consistent  course  of  some  of  our  Presbyte- 
ries and  Synods — to  the  faithful  conduct  of  the  minorities  in  the  As- 
semblies of  1831,  2,  3,  4,  and  6 — to  the  Act  and  Testimony — to  the 
proceedings  of  the  Conventions  of  Cincinnati  in  1831,  and  Pittsburgh 
in  1835,  and  to  the  noble  Assembly  of  1835. 

We  contend  especially  and  above  all  for  the  truth,  as  it  is  made 
known  to  us  of  God,  for  the  salvation  of  men.  We  contend  for  no- 
thing else,  except  as  the  result  or  support  of  this  inestimable  treasure. 
It  is  because  this  is  subverted  that  we  grieve  ;  it  is  because  our  stand- 
ards teach  it,  that  we  bewail  their  perversion  ;  it  is  because  our  Church 
order  and  discipline  preserve,  defend,  and  diffuse  it,  that  we  weep  over 
their  impending  ruin.  It  is  against  error  that  we  emphatically  bear 
our  testimony, — error  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men,  dishonouring  to 
Jesus  Christ,  contrary  to  his  revealed  truth,  and  utterly  at  variance 
with  our  standards.  Error  not  as  it  may  be  freely  and  openly  held  by 
others,  in  this  age  and  land  of  absolute  religious  freedom ;  but  error 
held,  and  taught  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  preached  and  written  by 
persons  who  profess  to  receive  and  adopt  our  Scriptural  standards — 
promoted  by  societies  operating  widely  through  our  churches — redu- 
ced into  form,  and  openly  embraced  by  almost  entire  Presbyteries  and 


12  TESTIMONY    AND    MEMORIAL    OF    THE 

Synods — favoured  by  repeated  acts  of  successive  General  Assemblies, 
and  at  last  virtually  sanctioned  to  an  alarming  extent  by  the  numerous 
Assembly  of  1836. 

To  be  more  specific,  we  hereby  set  forth  in  order,  some  of  tlie  doc- 
trinal errors  against  which  we  bear  testimony,  and  which  we,  and  the 
churches,  have  conclusive  proof,  are  widely  disseminated  in  the  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

IN    RELATION  TO   DOCTRINE. 

1.  That  God  would  have  been  glad  to  prevent  the  existence  of  sin 
in  our  world,  but  was  not  able,  without  destroying  the  moral  agency  of 
man  :  or,  that  for  aught  that  appears  in  the  Bible  to  the  contrary,  sin  is 
incidental  to  any  wise  moral  system. 

2.  That  election  to  eternal  life  is  founded  on  a  foresight  of  faith  and 
obedience. 

3.  That  we  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  first  sin  of  Adam  than  with 
the  sins  of  any  other  parent. 

4.  That  infants  come  into  the  world  as  free  from  moral  defilement  as 
was  Adam,  when  he  was  created. 

5.  That  infants  sustain  the  same  relation  to  the  moral  government  of 
God  in  this  world  as  brute  animals,  and  that  their  sufferings  and  death 
are  to  he  accouuied  fur,  on  the  same  principles  as  those  of  brutes,  and 
not  by  any  means  to  be  considered  as  penal. 

6.  That  there  is  no  other  original  sin  than  the  fact  that  all  the  pos- 
terity of  Adam,  though  by  nature  innocent,  or  possessed  of  no  moral 
character,  will  always  begin  to  sin  when  they  begin  to  exercise  moral 
agency ;  that  original  sin  does  not  include  a  sinful  bias  of  the  human 
mind,  and  a  just  exposure  to  penal  suffering ;  and  that  there  is  no  evi- 
dence in  Scripture,  that  infants,  in  order  to  salvation,  do  need  redemp- 
tion by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

7.  That  the  doctrine  of  imputation,  whether  of  the  guilt  of  Adam's 
sin.  Or  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  has  no  foundation  in  the  word  of 
God,  and  is  both  unjust  and  absurd. 

8.  That  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  were  not  truly  vicarious 
and  penal,  but  symbolical,  govermental,  and  instructive  only. 

9.  That  the  impenitent  sinner  is  by  nature,  and  independently  of  the 
renewing  influence  or  almighty  energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  full 
possession  of  all  the  ability  necessary  to  a  full  compliance  with  all  the 
commands  of  God. 

10.  That  Christ  never  intercedes  for  any  but  those  who  are  actually 
united  to  him  by  faith  ;  or  that  Christ  does  not  intercede  for  the  elect 
until  after  their  regeneration. 

11.  That  saving  faith  is  the  mere  belief  of  the  word  of  God,  and  not 
a  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 

12.  That  regeneration  is  the  act  of  the  sinner  himself,  and  that  it 
consists  in  a  change  of  his  governing  purpose,  which  he  himself  must 
produce,  and  which  is  the  result,  not  of  any  direct  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  on  the  heart,  but  chiefly  of  a  persuasive  exhibition  of  the 
truth  analagous  to  the  influence  which  one  man  exerts  over  the  mind  of 


PHILADELPHIA    CONVENTION-.  13 

another ;  or  that  regeneration  is  not  an  instantaneous  act,  but  a  pro- 
gressive work. 

13.  That  God  has  done  all  that  he  can  do  for  the  salvation  of  all  men, 
and  that  man  himself  must  do  the  rest. 

14.  That  God  cannot  exert  such  influence  on  the  minds  of  men,  as 
shall  make  it  certain  that  they  will  choose  and  act  in  a  particular  man- 
ner without  impairing  their  moral  agency. 

15.  That  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  not  the  sole  ground  of  the 
sinner's  acceptance  with  God ;  and  that  in  no  sense  does  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  become  ours. 

16.  That  the  reason  why  some  diflier  from  others  in  regard  to  their 
reception  of  the  Gospel  is,  that  they  make  themselves  to  differ. 

It  is  impossible  to  contemplate  these  errors  without  perceiving,  that 
they  strike  at  the  foundation  of  the  system  of  Gospel  grace  ;  and  that, 
from  the  days  of  Pelagius  and  Cassian  to  the  present  hour,  their  recep- 
tion has  uniformly  marked  the  character  of  a  Church  apostatizing  from 
"  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,"  and  sinking  into  deplorable 
corruption.  To  bear  a  public  and  open  testimony  against  them,  and 
as  far  as  possible  to  banish  them  from  the  "  household  of  faith,"  is  a 
duty  which  the  Presbyterian  Church  owes  to  her  Master  in  heaven, 
and  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  fulfil  the  great  purpose  for  which 
she  was  founded  by  her  Divine  Head  and  Lord.  And  this  Convention 
is  conscious  that  in  pronouncing  these  errors  unscriptural,  radical,  and 
highly  dangerous,  it  is  actuated  by  no  feeling  of  party  zeal ;  but  by  a 
firm  and  growing  persuasion  that  such  errors  cannot  fail  in  their  ulti- 
mate effect,  to  subvert  the  foundation  of  Christian  hope,  and  destroy 
the  souls  of  men.  The  watchmen  on  the  walls  of  Zion  would  be 
traitors  to  the  trust  reposed  in  them,  were  they  not  to  cry  aloud,  and 
proclaim  a  solemn  warning  against  opinions  so  corrupt  and  delusive. 

IN    RELATION   TO    CHURCH   ORDER. 

Believing  the  Presbyterian  Form  of  Government  to  be  that  instituted 
by  the  inspired  Apostles  of  the  Lord,  in  the  early  church,  and  sanc- 
tioned, if  not  commanded,  in  the  scattered  notices  contained  in  the  New 
Testament,  on  the  general  subject;  our  hearts  cling  to  it  as  to  that 
order  approved  by  revelation  of  God,  and  made  manifest  by  long 
experience,  as  the  best  method  of  preserving  and  spreading  his  truth. 
When  that  truth  is  in  danger  we  hold  but  the  more  steadfastly  to  our 
distinctive  church  order,  as  affording  the  best  method  of  detecting  and 
vanquishing  error.  That  any  form  of  administration  should  totally 
prevent  evil,  is  manifesdy  impossible  while  men  continue  as  they  are ; 
and  it  is  no  small  praise  to  the  institutions  of  our  church,  that  they  so 
nearly  reach  this  result,  as  to  be  incapable  of  regular  action,  in  the  hands 
of  those  who  are  themselves  corrupt.  They  live  with  and  for  the  truth  ; 
to  spread  error,  they  must  be  perverted ;  and  before  a  general  apostasy, 
Presbyterian  order  must  always  perish. 

Thus  it  has  been  in  these  evil  times.  Abundant  proof  is  before  this 
Convention,  and  indeed  before  the  whole  world,  that  the  principles  of 
our  system  have  been  universally  departed  from,  by  those  who  have 
departed  from  our  faith ;  and  that  generally  that  has  been  done  with 


14  TESTIMONY    AND    MEMORIAL    OP    THE 

equal  steps.  Or  if,  as  there  is  reason  to  fear,  some  portions  of  the 
church,  still  hold  the  external  form  of  Presbyterianism,  and  deny  the 
power  of  its  sacred  doctrines,  they  are  those  only,  who,  in  attaching 
themselves  to  us,  have  either  evaded  subscription  to  our  creed — or 
subscribed  without  believing  it.  It  is  enough  that  any  system  should 
exclude  honest  errorists — and  speedily  detect,  if  it  cannot  exclude  those 
who  are  otherwise. 

Among  the  departures  from  sound  Presbyterian  order,  against  which 
we  feel  called  on  to  testify,  as  marking  the  times,  are  the  following : 

1.  The  formation  of  Presbyteries  without  defined  and  reasonable 
limits,  or  Presbyteries,  covering  the  same  territory,  and  especially  such 
a  formation  founded  on  doctrinal  repulsions  or  affinities :  thus  introducing 
schism  into  the  very  vitals  of  the  body. 

2.  The  refusal  of  Presbyteries  when  requested  by  any  of  their 
members,  to  examine  all  applicants  for  admission  into  them,  as  to  their 
soundness  in  the  faith,  or  touching  any  other  matter  connected  with  a 
fair  Presbyterial  standing:  thus  concealing  and  conniving  at  error,  iu 
the  very  stronghold  of  truth. 

3.  The  licensing  of  persons  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  the  ordaining 
to  the  office  of  the  ministry  such  as  not  only  accept  of  our  standards 
merely  for  substance  of  doctrine,  and  others  who  are  unfit  and  ought  to 
be  excluded  for  want  of  qualification — but  of  many  even  who  openly 
deny  fundamental  principles  of  truth,  and  preach  and  publish  radical 
errors,  as  already  set  forth. 

4.  The  formation  of  a  great  multitude  and  variety  of  creeds  which 
are  often  incomplete,  false,  and  contradictory  of  each  other,  and  of 
our  Confession  of  Faith  and  the  Bible :  but  which  even  if  true  are 
needless,  seeing  that  the  public  and  authorised  standards  of  the  Church 
are  fully  sufficient  for  the  purposes  for  which  sucii  formularies  were 
introduced,  namely,  as  public  testimonies  of  our  faith  and  practice,  as 
aids  to  the  teaching  of  the  people  truth  and  righteousness,  and  as 
instruments  for  ascertaining  and  preserving  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  bonds  of  peace  ;  it  being  understood  that  we  do  not  object  to  the 
use  of  a  brief  abstract  of  the  doctrines  of  our  Confession  of  Faith,  in  the 
public  reception  of  private  members  of  the  Church. 

5.  The  needless  ordination  of  a  multitude  of  men  -to  the  office  of 
Evangelist,  and  the  consequent  tendency  to  a  general  neglect  of  the 
pastoral  office;  frequent  and  hurtful  changes  of  pastoral  relations;  to 
the  multiplication  of  spurious  excitements,  and  the  consequent  spread  of 
heresy  and  fanaticism,  thus  weakening  and  bringing  into  contempt  the 
ordinary  and  stated  agents  and  means,  for  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
and  the  edification  of  the  body  of  Christ. 

6.  The  disuse  of  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder  in  portions  of  the  Church, 
and  the  consequent  growth  of  practices  and  principles  entirely  foreign  to 
our  system  ;  thus  depriving  the  pastors  of  needful  assistants  in  dis- 
cipline, the  people  of  proper  guides  in  Christ,  and  the  churches  of 
suitable  representatives  in  the  ecclesiastical  tribunals. 

7.  The  electing  and  ordaining  Ruling  Eldors,  with  the  express  under- 
standing that  they  are  to  serve  but  for  a  limited  time. 

8    A  progressive  change  in  the  system  of  Presbyterial  representation 


PHILADELPHIA    CONVENTION.  15 

in  the  General  Assembly,  which  has  been  persisted  in  by  those  holding 
the  ordinary  majorities,  and  carried  out  into  detail  by  those  disposed  to 
take  undue  advantage  of  existing  opportunities,  until  the  actual  repre- 
sentation seldom  exhibits  the  true  state  of  the  Church,  and  many 
questions  of  the  deepest  interest  have  been  decided  contrary  to  the 
fairly  ascertained  wishes  of  the  majority  of  the  Church  and  people  in 
our  communion :  thus  virtually  subverting  the  essential  principles  of 
freedom,  justice,  and  equality,  on  which  our  whole  system  rests. 

9.  The  unlimited  and  irresponsible  power,  assumed  by  several  as- 
sociations of  men  under  various  names,  to  exercise  authority  and  influ- 
ence, direct  and  indirect,  over  Presbyters,  as  to  their  field  of  labour, 
place  of  residence,  and  mode  of  action  in  the  difficult  circumstances  of 
our  Church :  thus  actually  throwing  the  control  of  affairs  in  large  por- 
tions of  the  Church,  and  sometimes  in  the  General  Assembly  itself, 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  Presbyteries  into  those  of  single  individuals  or 
small  committees  located  at  a  distance. 

10.  The  unconstitutional  decisions  and  violent  proceedings  of  several 
General  Assemblies,  and  especially  those  of  1831,  2,  3, 4,  and  6,  directly 
or  indirectly  subverting  some  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  Presby- 
terian government — effectually  discountenancing  discipline,  if  not  ren- 
dering it  impossible,  and  plainly  conniving  at  and  favouring,  if  not  vir- 
tually affirming  as  true,  the  whole  current  of  false  doctrine  which  has 
been  for  years  setting  into  our  Church,  thus  making  the  Church  itself 
a  principal  actor  in  its  own  dissolution  and  ruin. 

IN  RELATION  TO  DISCIPLINE. 

That  a  state  of  affairs  even  approaching  to  that  over  which  we  now 
mourn  should  obstruct  the  exercise  of  Discipline,  may  not  only  be  easily 
supposed,  but  unhappily  the  very  evils  which  rendered  it  imperatively 
necessary,  conspired  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  its  regular  exercise. 
A  Church  unsound  in  faith  is  necessarily  corrupt  in  practice.  Truth  is 
in  order  to  Godliness ;  and  when  it  ceases  to  make  us  pure,  it  is  no 
longer  considered  worthy  of  being  contended  for. 

With  the  woful  departures  from  sound  doctrine,  which  we  have 
already  pointed  out,  and  the  grievous  declensions  in  Church  order  here- 
tofore stated,  has  advanced  step  by  step,  the  ruin  of  all  sound  disci- 
pline in  large  portions  of  our  Church,  until  in  some  places  our  very 
name  is  becoming  a  public  scandal,  and  the  proceedings  of  persons  and 
churches  connected  with  some  of  our  Presbyteries,  are  hardly  to  be 
defended  from  the  accusation  of  being  blasphemous.  Amongst  other 
evils,  of  which  this  Convention  and  the  Church  have  full  proof,  we 
specify  the  following ; 

1.  The  impossibility  of  obtaining  a  plain  and  sufficient  sentence 
against  gross  errors,  either  in  thesi,  or  when  found  in  books  printed  un- 
der the  name  of  Presbyterian  ministers,  or  when  such  ministers  have 
been  directly  and  personally  charged. 

2.  The  public  countenance  thus  given  to  error,  and  the  complete 
security  in  which  our  own  members  have  preached  and  published  in 
newspapers,  pamphlets,  periodicals,  and  books,  things  utterly  subver- 
sive of  our  system  of  truth  and  order,  while  none  thought  it  possible 


16  TESTIMONY    AND    MEMORIAL    OF    THE 

(except  in  a  few,  and  ihey  almost  fruitless,  attempts)   that  discipline 
could  be  exercised;  and  therefore  none  attempted  it. 

3.  The  disorderly  and  unseasonable  meetings  of  the  people,  in  which 
unauthorized  and  incompetent  persons  conducted  worship  in  a  manner 
shocking  to  public  decency  ;  females  often  leading  in  prayer  in  promis- 
cuous assemblies,  and  sometimes  in  public  instruction  ;  the  hastv  ad- 
mission to  church  privileges,  and  the  failure  to  exercise  any  wholesome 
discipline  over  those  who  subsequently  fall  into  sin,  even  of  a  public 
and  scandalous  kind ;  and  by  these  and  other  disorders,  grieving  and 
alienating  the  pious  members  of  our  churches,  and  so  filling  many  of 
them  with  rash,  ignorant,  and  unconverted  persons,  as  gradually  to  de- 
stroy all  visible  distinction  between  the  Church  and  the  world. 

4.  While  many  of  our  ministers  have  propagated  error  with  great 
zeal,  and  disturbed  the  Church  with  irregular  and  disorderly  conduct; 
some  have  entirely  given  up  the  stated  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  others 
have  turned  aside  to  secular  pursuits,  and  others  still  while  nominally 
engaged  in  some  part  of  Christian  effort,  have  embarked  in  the  wild 
and  extravagant  speculations  which  have  so  remarkably  signalized  the 
times;  thus  tending  to  secularize  and  disorganize  the  very  ministry  of 
reconciliation. 

5.  The  formation  in  the  bosom  of  our  churches,  and  ecclesiastical 
bodies,  of  parties  ranged  against  each  other,  on  personal,  doctrinal,  and 
other  questions ;  strifes  and  divisions  amongst  our  people — bitter  con- 
tentions amongst  many  of  our  ministers  :  a  general  weakening  of  mutual 
confidence  and  affection  ;  and,  in  some  cases,  a  resort  to  measures  of 
violence,  duplicity,  and  injustice  totally  inconsistent  w'ith  the  Christian 
name. 

METHOD  OF  REFORM. 

Such  being  the  state  of  things  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  we  be- 
lieve that  the  time  is  fully  come,  for  the  adoption  of  some  measures, 
which  shall  speedily  furnish  relief  from  the  evils  already  referred  to. 
Under  this  conviction,  we  present  ourselves  respectfully  before  you, 
praying  you  to  lose  no  time,  in  so  adjusting  the  important  matters  at 
issue,  as  to  restore  at  once  purity  and  peace  to  our  distracted  Church. 
We  are  obliged  to  record  our  most  solemn  and  settled  belief,  that  the 
elements  of  our  present  discord  are  now  too  numerous,  too  extensively 
spread  and  essentially  opposed,  to  warrant  any  hope  that  they  can,  in 
any  way  be  composed,  so  long  as  they  are  compressed  within  the 
limits  of  our  present  ecclesiastical  organization.  Mutual  confidence 
is  gone,  and  is  not  to  be  restored  by  any  temporizing  measures.  This 
is  a  sad,  but  a  plain  truth.  It  is  a  result  over  which  the  Church  has 
long  mourned,  and  at  which  the  world  has  scoffed — but  for  the  pro- 
duction of  which  we,  and  those  who  agree  with  us,  cannot  hold  our- 
selves responsible,  firmly  believing,  as  we  do,  that  we  are.  in  this  con- 
troversy, contending  for  the  plain  and  obvious  principles  of  Presbyte- 
rian doctrine  and  polity.  In  a  word,  it  needs  but  a  glance  at  the  gene- 
ral character,  the  personal  affinities,  and  the  geographical  relations  of 
those  who  are  antagonists  in  the  present  contest — to  be  satisfied  that 
our  present  evils  have  not  originated  within,  but  have  been  brought 


PHILADELPHIA    CONVENTION.  17 

from  without — and  are,  in  a  great  degree,  the  consequences  of  an  un- 
natural intermixture  ot"  two  systems  of  ecclesiastical  action — which  are 
in  many  respects  entirely  opposite  in  their  nature  and  operation.  Two 
important  families  in  the  great  Christian  community,  who  might  have 
lived  peacefully  under  different  roofs — and  maintained  a  friendly  inter- 
course with  each  other — have  been  brought  beneath  the  same  roof,  and 
yet  without  an  entire  incorporation.  Contact  has  not  produced  real 
union,  except  in  a  comparatively  few  instances  :  on  the  contrary,  ori- 
ginal differences  of  opinions  and  prejudices  in  relation  to  the  principles 
of  government  and  order,  in  many  points  of  great  practical  moment, 
have,  for  a  number  of  years,  been  widening  instead  of  narrowing — and 
those  who  would  have  been  friendly  as  neighbours,  have,  at  last,  by 
being  forced  together  into  the  same  dwelling,  after  many  and  pain- 
ful conflicts,  furnished  abundant  evidence  of  the  necessity  of  some 
effectual  remedy.  We  cannot  consent  to  meet  any  longer  upon 
the  floors  of  our  several  judicatories,  to  contend  against  the  visible  in- 
roads of  a  system,  which,  whether  so  designed  or  not,  is  crippling  our 
energies,  and  which,  by  obvious  but  covert  advances,  menaces  our 
very  existence.  We  are  in  danger  of  being  driven  out  from  the  home 
of  our  childhood. 

While,  however,  we  complain  and  testify  against  the  operations  of 
this  unnatural,  unwise,  and  unconstitutional  alliance  just  referred  to, 
we  wish  it  to  be  distinctly  understood  that  we  do  it,  chiefly  because  of 
our  sincere  belief  that  the  doctrinal  purity  of  our  ancient  Confession 
of  Faith  is  endangered — and  not  because  of  the  preferences  we  have 
for  a  particular  system  of  mere  church  government  and  discipline. 
We  hold  the  latter  to  be  important  mainly  from  their  relation  to  the 
former.  Hence,  we  wish  it  to  be  distinctly  understood,  that  we  have 
not,  nor  do  we  wish  to  have,  any  controversy  with  the  system  of 
Congregational  church  government  upon  its  own  territory.  Towards 
the  churches  of  New  England,  which  stand  fast  in  the  faith  once  de- 
livered to  the  saints — towards  the  distinguished  and  excellent  brethren 
in  the  Lord  in  those  churches,  who  are  now  testifying  against  the  er- 
rors which  are  troubling  them,  as  they  are  troubling  us,  we  entertain 
the  most  fraternal  esteem  and  affection.  Let  there  be  no  strife  between 
us :  and  there  will  be  none,  so  long  as  there  is  no  effort  made  by  either 
body  to  intrude  upon  the  domestic  concerns  of  the  other.  We  want 
no  more  than  to  be  allowed  the  fair  and  unimpeded  action  of  our  own 
ecclesiastical  principles.  We  desire  to  stand  upon  our  own  responsi- 
bility— and  not  to  be  made  involuntary  sharers  in  the  responsibility  of 
other  bodies  and  systems  of  action,  with  which  we  cannot  entirely 
harmonize.  We  desire  to  perform  our  Master's  work  upon  principles 
which  we  prefer,  because  they  are  the  first  principles  of  our  own  ec- 
clesiastical system  of  government — recognizing  at  every  step  the  pro- 
priety and  necessity  of  responsibility,  and  refusing  to  commit  to  any 
man,  or  body  of  men,  large  and  important  trusts,  without  the  right  of 
review,  control,  and,  if  needs  be,  speedy  correction. 

These  being  our  views,  we  earnestly  urge  upon  the  attention  of  the 
Assembly,  the  following  items  of  reform. 

1.  While  we  wish  to  maintain  as  heretofore,  a  friendly  correspon- 

3 


18  TESTIMONY    AND    ME.MOKIAL    OF    THE 

denceand  interchange  of  annual  visits,  with  the  evangelical  associations 
of  New-England — we  are  anxiously  looking  to  the  General  Assembly 
in  the  hope  and  belief  that  it  will  take  into  immediate  consideration  the 
plan  of  union  adopted  by  the  Assembly  of  1801,  (See  Digest,  p.  297, 
298)— and  that  it  will  perceive  in  the  original  unconsiituironality  and' 
present  pernicious  operations  of  that  plan,  reasons  for  its  immediate 
abrogation. 

2.  While  we  desire  that  no  body  of  Christian  men  of  other  denomi- 
nations, should  be  prevented  from  choosing  their  own  plans  of  doing 
good — and  while  we  claim  no  right  to  complain,  should  they  exceed 
us  in  energy  and  zeal— we  believe,  that  facts  too  familiar  to  need  repe- 
tition here,  warrant  us  in  affirming  that  the  organization  and  operations 
of  the  so  called  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  American 
Education  Society  and  its  branches  of  whatever  name,  are  exceedingly 
injurious  to  the  peace  and  purity  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  We  re- 
commend accordingly,  that  they  should  be  discountenanced,  and  their 
operations  as  far  as  possible  prevented,  within  our  ecclesiastical  limits. 

3.  We  believe  that  every  Church,  Presbytery,  or  Synod  now  in 
nominal  connection  with  this  Assembly,  but  which  is  not  organized  on 
Presbyterian  principles,  should  be  immediately  brought  into  order,  dis- 
solved, or  disconnected  from  the  Presbyterian" Church. 

4.  We  believe  that  it  is  highly  important,  that,  at  the  present  time, 
Presbyteries  should  be  directed  to  examine  henceforward  all  licentiates 
and  ministers  applying  for  admission  from  other  denominations  on  the 
subjects  of  theology  and  church  government,  as  well  as  personal 
piety  and  ministerial  qualifications,  and  to  require  of  them  an  explicit 
adoption  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  and  Form  of  Government. 

5.  We  desire  that  immediate  measures  be  taken,  in  order  that  such 
members  of  any  Presbytery  as  hold  any  of  the  errors,  or  practise  any 
of  the  disorders  now  testified  against,  may  be  subjected  to  discipline  : 
that  such  Presbyteries  and  Synods  as  tolerate  them,  may  be  cited  and 
tried,  and  such  of  these  bodies  as  are  believed  to  consist  chiefly  of  de- 
cidedly unsound  or  disorderly  members  may  be  separated  from  the  Pres- 
byterian Church — provision  being  made  "at  the  same  time  for  the  re- 
union of  orthodox  churches,  private  members,  or  ministers,  who  may 
be  found  in  any  of  them  with  other  convenient  bodies. 

6.  As  these  are  times  of  high  and  dangerous  excitability  in  the  pub- 
lic mind,  when  imprudent  or  partisan  men  may  do  great  injury,  espe- 
cially when  they  have  facilities  for  operating  on  a  large  field,  this  Con- 
vention is  of  opinion  that  the  General  Assembly  ought  to  make  known 
to  our  national  societies,  not  previously  noticed' in  this  memorial,  that 
the  Presbyterian  Church  expects  of  them  great  caution  in  the  selection 
of  their  travellmg  agents,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  regarded  as  peculiarly 
unkmd  in  any  of  them  to  give  to  the  correspondence  or  general  bearing 
of  their  institutions,  a  bias  against  the  strictest  order,  and  soundest 
principles  of  our  beloved  branch  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

CONCLUSION. 

And  now  we  submit  to  the  highest  tribunal  of  our  Church— to  all  our 
brethren  beloved  in  the   Lord— and  to  the  generation  in  whieh  our 


PHILADELPHIA    CONVENTION.  19 

lots  are  cast — a  Testimony  which  we  find  ourselves  unable  to  weaken 
or  abridge,  and  keep  a  good  conscience  towards  God  and  man.  We 
have  performed  a  duty  to  which  the  providence  of  God  has  shut  us  up. 
We  have  done  it',  in  reliance  on  his  grace,  and  in  view  of  his  judgment 
bar.  Whatever  the  issue  may  be,  we  rejoice  in  the  sense  of  having 
discharged  a  great  and  imperative  obligation,  manifestly  required  at  our 
hands,  and  all  whose  issues  ouglit  to  promote  the  purity,  the  peace, 
and  the  unity  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

The  whole  responsibility  of  future  results,  is  from  this  moment 
thrown  first  upon  the  General  Assembly  now  in  session ;  and  after- 
wards upon  the  whole  Church,  The  Assembly  will  of  course,  pursue 
such  a  line  of  conduct  as  will  appear  to  acquit  it,  before  earth  and  hea- 
ven. The  destinies  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  as  now  organized, 
,are  in  its  hands — and  our  Saviour  will  require  a  strict  account  concern- 
ing it.  The  great  body  of  the  Church,  must  needs  rejudge  the  whole 
action  of  the  Assembly — and  on  her  judgment  we  repose,  witli  a  sacred 
assurance,  second  only  to  that  which  binds  our  hearts  and  souls  in 
filial  confidence  to  her  glorious  Lord.  For  ourselves,  the  hardest  por- 
tion of  our  work  is  past.  Hearts  which  the  past  has  not  broken,  have 
little  need  to  fear  what  the  future  can  bring  forth.  Spirits  which  have 
not  died  within  us,  in  the  trials  through  which  we  have  been  led,  may 
confidenUy  resign  themselves  to  His  guidance,  whose  words  have  rung 
ceaselessly  upon  our  hearts  "  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it" — and 
whose  cheering  voice  comes  to  us  from  above,  "  Fear  not,  it  is  I." 
By  order  of  Convention. 

GEO.  A.  BAXTER,  President. 
C-  C.  CUYLER,   Vice  President. 
Thos.  C.  Baird,     7  ^^^^.^^ 
Horace  S.  Pratt,  3 

Philadelphia,  May  18,  1837. 


{[The  orthodox  having  a  decided  majority  in  the  Assembly,  the  mate- 
rial parts  of  the  Memorial  were  adopted  ;  the  Plan  of  Union  between 
the  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists  was  abrogated  ;  the  Synods 
of  Western  Reserve,  Geneva,  Genesee,  and  Utica,  were  declared  to  be 
no  longer  constituent  parts  of  the  Presbyterian  Church ;  the  operations, 
within  the  limits  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  of  the  American  Home 
Missionary  and  American  Education  Societies  were  discountenanced; 
and  the  Third,  or  Elective  Affinity  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  was 
dissolved.  Thus  the  objects  of  the  Convention  were  most  happily  ac- 
complished.] 


(   20) 


APPENDIX. 


CIRCULAR  EPISTLE  OF  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY. 

The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America,  to  all  the  Churches  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  grace,  mercy,  and  peace, 
from  God  the  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  Eternal  Spirit. 

Very  Dear  Brethren : 

Assembled  by  the  good  providence  of  God,  as  the  supreme  judicatory  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  constituting  by 
our  ecclesiastical  organization  not  only  the  "  bond  of  union,  peace,  corres- 
pondence and  mutual  confidence  among  all  our  churches,"  but  also  the  only 
organ  of*'  correspondence  with  foreign  churches,"  we  cannot  consent  to  sepa- 
rate after  the  unusually  long,  interesting,  and  important  session,  which  we 
are  about  to  close,  without  pouring  out  the  fulness  of  our  hearts,  in  reference 
to  the  weighty  matters  concerning  which  we  have  been  called  to  act  since 
we  came  together,  into  the  ears  and  bosoms  of  all  other  Christian  Churches, 
and  especially  those  with  which  we  are  in  friendly  correspondence. 

You  cannot  be  ignorant,  dear  brethren,  that,  for  a  number  of  years  past, 
the  friends  of  truth,  and  of  regular  Presbyterian  order  in  our  beloved  Zion, 
have  been  filled  with  painful  apprehension  at  the  manifest  departure  from  our 
ecclesiastical  standards,  which  appeared  to  be  gaining  ground  in  a  number 
of  our  judicatories.  Firmly  believing  that  the  great  purpose  for  which  the 
Church  was  founded  was  that  she  might  maintain  in  their  purity  the  doctrines 
and  discipline  of  Christ,  and  hold  them  forth  to  a  dark  world,  we  have  thought 
ourselves  called  upon  to  n)ake  inquiry  respecting  the  errors  and  disorders 
alleged  to  exist,  and  as  far  as  possible  to  banish  them  from  that  portion  of  the 
professing  family  of  Christ  with  which  we  are  connected.  You  have  wit- 
nessed, for  a  number  of  successive  years,  our  struggles  for  the  attainment  of 
this  object.  You  have  witnessed  the  mortifying  disappointments  which  from 
time  to  time  have  attended  our  efforts  to  obtain,  by  constitutional  means,  a  re- 
dress of  the  grievances  of  which  we  cocnplained.  You  have  seen  what  we 
regard  as  error  becoming  more  extensive  in  its  prevalence,  and  more  bold 
and  overbearing  in  its  claims.  You  have  seen  certain  Voluntary  Societies, 
under  the  cover  of  prnfi  ssed  zeal  for  the  doctrines  and  order  of  our  church, 
in  fact,  if  not  in  intention,  gradually  subverting  both.  You  have  heard  the 
motives  of  the  friends  of  truth  reproached;  their  names  cast  out  as  evil; 
their  zeal  for  maintaining  the  purity  of  the  Gospel  represented  as  a  mere 
struggle  for  power;  and  all  their  attempts  to  detect  and  censure  heresy  held 
up  to  public  view  as  the  efforts  of  restless  and  ambitious  men  to  gain  the  pre- 
eminence for  themselves.  Amidst  these  inefi^ectual  attempts  to  banish  error, 
and  to  restore  order,  vital  piety  has  languished ;  mutual  confidence  has  dis- 
appeared ;  the  reviving  and  converting  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  have 
been  withheld,  and  our  time  and  strength  have  been  painfully  occupied  with 
strife  and  debate,  instead  of  being  wholly  given  to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  conversion  of  the  world. 

We  shall  not  stop  to  inquire  by  whose  agency,  or  by  what  steps  this  state 
of  things  has  been  produced.  The  adjustment  of  the  proper  award  in  regard 
to  this  question,  might  be  deemed  an  invidious  task,  and  fail  of  commanding 
universal  assent.  But  on  the  deplorable  character  of  the  situation  in  which 
we  were  placed,  there  can  be  but  one  opinion.  Over  our  conflicts  every 
firiend  of  religion  has  mourned ;  every  intelligent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 


APPENDIX.  21 

Church  has  felt  grieved  and  humbled ;  and  we  were  becoming  a  reproach 
among  all  surrounding  denominations.  To  every  enlightened  beholder  it  has 
been  long  manifest  that  parties  so  heterogeneous  and  discordant  could  no 
longer  act  together  in  the  same  body  either  with  comfort  to  themselves,  or 
with  honour  and  edification  to  the  cause  of  our  common  Christianity. 

Such  has  been  our  melancholy  history,  especially  for  the  last  six  years ;  and 
Buch  were  the  discouraging  and  distressing  circumstances  in  which  this  As- 
sembly convened.  On  coming  together  it  was  found  to  contain  such  a  de- 
cided majority  of  the  friends  of  truth  and  order,  as  to  place  within  our  reach 
the  most  thorough  measures  of  reform.  And  it  is  worthy  of  especial  notice 
that  this  majority  was  created  and  brought  together  in  full  view  of  the 
measures  adopted  by  the  orthodox  Assembly  of  1835,  and  of  all  the  conflicts 
and  painful  disclosures  which  characterized  the  Assembly  of  1836.  It  was 
after  the  attention  of  the  whole  church  had  been  strongly  called  to  these 
measures  and  disclosures  that  our  Presbyteries  sent  a  delegation,  the  major 
part  of  whom  declared  in  favour  of  the  doctrines  and  order  of  our  body.  We 
felt  ourselves,  therefore,  distinctly  and  solemnly  called  upon,  by  the  voice  of 
the  Church,  to  go  forward  and  rescue  her  struggling  and  bleeding  interests  from 
that  humiliating  and  degrading  perversion  to  which  they  had  been  so  long 
exposed.  This  painful  duty  we  have  endeavoured  to  perform  in  the  fear  of 
God.  And  although  we  do  not  claim  that  our  manner  of  discharging  it  has 
been  wholly  free  from  the  manifestation  of  human  infirmity,  we  do  hope  and 
believe  that  our  measures  have  been  accompanied  with  much  sincere  and 
humble  seeking  for  Divine  direction  ;  and  that  they  are  such  as  the  enlight- 
ened and  impartial  friends  of  our  ecclesiastical  constitution  will  ultimately 
approve. 

As  the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel  lie  at  the  foundation  of  all  Christian 
hope,  as  well  as  of  the  purity  and  prosperity  of  the  Church,  we  felt  ourselves 
bound  to  direct  early  and  peculiarly  solemn  attention  to  those  doctrinal 
errors,  which  there  was  but  too  much  evidence  had  gained  an  alarming  pre- 
valence in  some  of  our  judicatories.  The  advocates  of  these  errors,  on  their 
first  appearance,  were  cautious  and  reserved,  alleging  that  they  differed  in 
words  only  from  the  doctrines  as  stated  in  our  public  standards.  Very  soon, 
however,  they  began  to  contend  that  their  opinions  were  really  new,  and 
were  a  substantial  and  important  improvement  on  the  old  creed  of  the 
Church  ;  and,  at  length,  that  revivals  of  religion  could  not  be  hoped  for,  and 
that  the  souls  of  men  must  be  destroyed,  if  the  old  doctrines  continued  to  be 
preached.  The  errors  thus  promulgated  were  by  no  means  of  that  doubtful 
or  unimportant  character  which  seems  to  be  assigned  to  them  even  by  some 
of  the  professed  friends  of  orthodoxy.  You  will  see,  by  our  published  acts, 
that  some  of  them  affect  the  very  foundation  of  the  system  of  Gospel  truth, 
and  that  they  ail  bear  relations  to  the  Gospel  plan,  of  very  serious  and  omin- 
ous import.  Surely  doctrines  which  go  to  the  formal  or  virtual  denial  of  our 
covenant  relation  to  Adam ;  the  native  and  total  depravity  of  man ;  the 
entire  inability  of  the  sinner  to  recover  himself  from  rebellion  and  corrup- 
tion; the  nature  and  source  of  regeneration;  and  our  justification  solely  on 
account  of  the  imputed  righteousness  of  the  Redeemer — cannot,  upon  any 
just  principle,  be  regarded  as  "minor  errors!"  They  form,  in  fact,  "another 
Gospel ;"  and  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  faithfully  adhere  to  our  public 
standards,  to  walk  with  those  who  adopt  such  opinions  with  either  comfort 
or  confidence. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  indeed,  that  those  who  adopted  and  preached  these 
opinions,  at  the  same  time,  declared  their  readiness  to  subscribe  our  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,  and  actually  professed  their  assent  to  it,  in  the  usual  form,  with- 
out apparent  scruple.  This,  in  fact,  was  one  of  the  most  revolting  and 
alarming  characteristics  of  their  position.  They  declared,  that,  in  doing  this, 
they  only  adopted  the  Confession  ^'for  substance"  and  by  no  means  intended 


22  APPENDIX. 

to  receive  the  whole  system  which  it  contained.  Upon  this  principle,  we 
had  good  evidence  that  a  number  of  Presbyteries,  in  the  ordination  and  re- 
ception of  ministers,  and  otiier  church  officers,  avowedly  and  habitually  acted. 
And  hence,  it  has  not  been  uncommon  for  the  members  of  such  Presbyteries 
publicly  and  formally  to  repudiate  some  of  the  important  doctrines  of  the  for- 
mulary which  they  had  tiius  subscribed  ;  and  even,  in  a  few  extraordinary 
cases,  to  hold  up  the  system  oftrutb  which  it  contains,  as  "an  abomination  ;" 
as  a  system  wliich  it  were  to  be  "  wished  had  never  had  an  existence." 
No  wonder  that  men  feeling  and  acting  thus,  should  have  been  found,  in 
some  instances,  substituting  entirely  different  Confessions  of  Faith  in  place 
of  that  which  is  contained  in  our  Constitution.  Who  can  doubt  that  such  a 
method  of  subscribing  to  articles  of  Faith  is  immoral  in  principle;  that  it  is 
adapted  to  defeat  the  great  purpose  of  adopting  Confessions,  and  that,  if  per- 
sisted in,  it  could  not  tail  to  open  the  door  of  our  Church  wider  and  wider  to 
the  introduction  of  the  most  radical  and  pestiferous  heresies,  which  would 
speedily  destroy  her  character  as  an  evangelical  body. 

Was  it  possible  for  us  to  doubt  or  hesitate  as  to  our  duty,  when  such  errors 
were  evidently  gaining  ground  among  us,  and  when  it  was  in  our  power 
judicially  to  condemn  them]  Errors  which,  ever  since  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  have  been  pronounced  by  the  true  Church  to  be  dangerous  cor- 
ruptions of  Gospel  truth.  We  are  conscious  that  in  pronouncing  the  errors 
in  question  to  be  unscriptural,  radical,  and  highly  dangerous,  we  are  actuated 
by  no  feelings  of  narrow  party  zeal,  but  by  a  firm  and  growing  persuasion 
that  such  errors  cannot  fail,  in  their  ultimate  efi'ect,  to  subvert  the  foundation 
of  Christian  hope,  and  destroy  the  souls  of  men.  As  watchmen  on  the  walls 
of  Zion,  we  should  be  unfaithful  to  the  trust  reposed  in  us,  were  we  not 
to  cry  aloud,  and  proclaim  a  solemn  warning  against  opinions  so  corrupt  and 
delusive. 

In  the  course  of  our  attempts  at  reform,  we  have  thought  it  our  duty  to 
annul  ihe  Plan  of  Union  between  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  churches, 
in  the  new  settlements,  formed  in  1801,  and  evidently  intended  as  a  tempo- 
rary system,  to  meet  a  temporary  exigency.  By  that  Plan,  Congregational 
churches  were  brought  into  complete  union  with  the  Presbyterian  Church; 
and  their  delegates,  without  having  adopted  our  public  standards,  were  intro- 
duced into  our  judicatories,  and  vested  with  the  power  of  giving  authorita- 
tive, and,  in  some  cases,  decisive  votes,  on  the  most  important  questions  of 
doctrine  and  discipline  ;  and  thus,  in  reality,  of  governing  our  Church.  And 
it  has  happened,  in  fact,  in  a  number  of  instances,  that  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant decisions,  in  their  bearing  on  the  truth  and  order  of  our  body,  have 
been  decide.l  by  the  votes  of  those  who  had  not  subscribed  to  our  ecclesi- 
astical constitution,  and  stood  aloof  themselves  from  its  authority.  Thus 
Congregationaiists  were  found,  in  effect,  to  control  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  to  prohibit  her  carrying  into  execution  our  appropriate  system,  while 
we  had  no  more  authority  over  them  than  they  chose  to  recognize. 

It  is  impossible  to  contemplate  this  plan  of  union  now,  without  perceiving 
that  it  is  most  unnatural  in  its  character;  that  it  has  not  a  shadow  of  founda- 
tion in  the  constitution  of  the  Presbyterian  ('hurch  ;  and  that  it  is  adapted  to 
be  deeply  injurious  in  its  influence  on  us.  It  is  but  just,  indeed,  to  say,  that 
it  was  first  proposed  and  commenced  on  our  part;  and  that  it  was  dictated 
by  that  spirit  of  unsuspecting  simplicity,  and  fraternal  confidence,  which  fore- 
saw no  evil.  Its  mischiefs  gradually  disclosed  themselves;  and  it  was  not 
until  they  had  taken  wide  and  deep  root,  that  they  began  to  attract  the  at- 
tention, and  awaken  the  fears  of  the  friends  of  truth  and  of  Presbyterial 
order.  It  was  more  and  more  perceived  not  only  that  this  system,  as  before 
remarked,  was  most  unequal,  as  it,  in  fact,  conceded  the  right  of  governing 
as  to  those  over  whom  we  could  exercise  no  controling  power ;  but  that  ita 
effect  must  be,  slowly,  but  inevitably,  to  subvert  the  order  and  discipline  of 


APPENDIX.  23 

the  Presbyterian  Church.  Surely,  no  impartial  judge  can  blame  us  for  wish- 
ing this  mischievous  system  rescinded,  or  for  annulling  it  when  we  had 
the  power.  It  is  due  to  ourselves,  however,  to  say,  that  this  measure  was 
not  either  hastily  conceived,  or  abruptly  executed.  The  union  in  question 
has  been,  for  many  years,  regarded  by  the  great  body  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  as,  perhaps,  the  most  fertile  source  of  the  dithculties  existing  among 
us;  especially  when  viewed  not  merely  as  a  violation  of  our  constitution, 
and  an  invasion  of  our  order  ;  but  as  grievously  abused  by  those  who  have 
taken  advantage  of  it,  in  a  manner  not  intended  by  its  original  framers, 
to  disseminate  their  pernicious  errors.  Viewing  the  subject  in  this  light, 
the  General  Assembly  of  1835,  respectfully  requested  the  General  Association 
of  Connecticut  to  consent  that  the  Plan  of  Union  in  question  should  be  an- 
nulled. Having  now  waited  two  additional  years  in  vain  for  any  favourable 
action  in  the  case,  on  the  part  of  our  brethren  of  Connecticut,  and  having 
witnessed  with  the  deepest  sorrow  the  ever  growing  evils  of  this  relation, 
we  have  felt  at  this  time  solemnly  called  upon  to  abrogate  the  whole  plan, 
and  to  put  an  end  as  far  as  in  us  lay,  to  the  destructive  effects  which  have 
so  long  resulted  from  its  operation. 

If  it  were  obviously  equitable  and  important  that  the  Plan  of  Union  alluded 
to  should  be  annulled,  it  was,  in  our  view,  no  less  equitable  and  important 
that  the  ecclesiastical  bodies  to  which  that  Plan  had  given  existence,  and 
which  were  animated  and  governed  by  its  spirit,  should  be  declared  to  be  no 
longer  connected  with  our  Church.  It  has  been,  indeed,  painful  to  the  As- 
sembly, to  declare  bodies  in  which  were  brethren,  whose  piety  we  cannot 
question,  and  whose  activity  in  extending  the  visible  Church  we  must  regard 
with  approbation,  to  be  no  longer  connected  with  our  body.  But  we  were 
shut  up  to  this  painful  duty.  Being  irregularly  brought  into  our  Church,  and 
retaining  all  the  feelings  and  habits  growing  out  of  the  circumstances  of  their 
original  introduction,  we  could  not  hope  that  they  would  walk  together  in 
peace  with  us,  so  long  as  the  points  of  difference  between  us  were  so  many 
and  so  serious.  Although  the  creation  of  more  churches  on  the  Plan  of 
Union  was  made  to  cease  by  the  previous  act  of  abrogation  ;  still,  as  all 
grant  that  the  act  which  brought  them  in  was  wholly  unconstitutional ; 
and  as,  if  this  were  the  case,  the  act  itself  was,  of  course,  void  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  all  the  acts  and  bodies  growing  out  of  it  equally  void ; — we 
have  deemed  it  necessary  to  declare  the  brethren  connected  with  those  judi- 
catories, no  longer  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Fully  aware 
of  the  painfulness  of  this  decision  to  both  parties,  in  order  to  avoid  it,  we 
made  overtures  to  the  brethren  who  were  opposed  to  us  in  sentiment  and  in 
policy,  which  had  for  their  object  an  amicable  separation  ;  offering  them,  in 
order  to  bring  about  such  a  separation,  what  we  deemed  equitable,  and  even 
indulgent  terms.  These  terms  will  be  learned  from  the  correspondence  of 
the  joint  committee  appointed  to  negotiate  on  the  subject,  which  has  been 
already  made  public.  Our  brethren  saw  tit  to  decline  our  proposal,  and  chose 
rather  to  abide  the  enforcing  of  the  Constitution.  They  cannot  complain  of 
our  course,  when  the  only  alternative  was  the  ruin  of  the  Church,  or  the 
restoration  of  our  form  of  government  to  its  legitimate  and  uniform  reign. 

We  are  aware  that  some  have  called  in  question  the  constitutionality  of 
our  proceedings.  On  this  subject,  the  more  maturely  we  reflect,  the  more 
firmly  are  we  persuaded  that  we  have  taken  the  most  eligible,  and  even  the 
only  practicable  course.  To  have  attempted  to  separate  from  us  the  breth- 
ren with  whom  we  could  no  longer  walk  in  peace,  by  personal  process  in 
each  case,  would,  obviously,  have  been  impossible,  and  even  if  possible, 
tedious,  agitating,  and  troublesome  in  the  highest  degree.  The  General 
Assembly  is  vested  by  the  Constitution  of  our  Church  with  plenary  power 
"  to  decide  in  all  controversies  respecting  doctrine  and  discipline ;  to  reprove, 
warn,  or  bear  testimony  against  error  in  doctrine,  or  immorality  in  practice, 


24  APPENDIX. 

in  any  Church,  Presbyfervi  or  Synod ;  to  superintend  the  concerns  of  the 
whole  Church;  to  suppress  schisiuatical  contentions  and  disputations;  and 
in  g^eneral  to  recommend  and  attempt  reformation  of  manners,  and  the  pro- 
motion of  charity,  truth,  and  holiness,  through  all  the  churches  under  their 
care."  It  is  manifest  that  no  other  body  but  the  General  Assembly  is  compe- 
tent to  sit  in  judgment  on  a  Synod  ;  and  it  is  equally  manifest  that  no  other 
body  can  be  vested  with  power  to  abolish  a  system  which  the  General  As- 
sembly itself  had  formed,  without  consulting  any  of  the  Presbyteries.  We 
have,  therefore,  not  hesitated  to  apply  the  Constitutional  remedy  in  its  fullest 
extent.  And  now  reposing  on  the  high  ground  of  our  truly  primitive  and 
apostolical  system  of  order,  we  appeal  with  unshaken  confidence  to  the  sym- 
pathy of  all  evangelical  churches;  to  the  approval  of  the  American  people; 
and  above  all  to  the  sanction  of  Him  "  who  sits  as  King  upon  the  holy  hill 
ofZion." 

In  the  adoption  of  these  measures,  we  are  earnestly  desirous  that  our  views 
and  feelings  in  regard  to  our  Congregational  Brethren  of  New  England, 
should  be  correctly  understood.  We  have  no  controversy  with  them,  nor  do 
we  desire  to  have  any,  with  respect  to  the  Congregational  Form  of  Church 
Government  as  it  exists  among  themselves,  nor  with  any  other  form  of  church 
polity.  Toward  the  excellent  Brethren  beloved  in  the  Lord,  in  those  and 
all  other  churches,  who  are  now  testifying  against  the  errors  which  are 
troubling  them,  as  they  are  troubling  us,  we  entertain  the  most  cordial  es- 
teem, and  fraternal  affection.  They  are  engaged  in  the  same  hallowed 
cause  with  ourselves,  and  we  cordially  bid  them  God  speed.  Let  there  be  no 
strife  between  us.  There  ought  to  be  none,  and  there  will  be  none,  so  long 
as  there  is  no  effort  made  by  any  party  to  intrude  on  the  domestic  concerns 
of  the  other.  We  cannot  wisely  attempt,  with  our  different  views  and 
feelings,  to  inhabit  the  saine  house;  but  as  neighbours  we  may  be  on  the 
most  amicable  and  even  affectionate  terms.  We  wish  for  no  more  than 
to  be  allowed  the  fair  and  unimpeded  action  of  our  own  ecclesiastical 
principles.  We  desire  to  stand  on  our  own  responsibility,  and  not  to  be 
made  involuntary  sharers  in  the  responsibility  of  other  bodies,  and  systems  of 
action,  with  which  we  cannot  entirely  harmonize.  We  desire  to  perform  our 
Master's  work  upon  the  principles  which  we  conscientiously  prefer,  because 
we  believe  those  principles  to  be  found  in  the  word  of  God;  and  we  cannot 
consent  to  an  alliance  with  any  individuals  or  bodies  of  men  in  their  system  of 
action,  without  reserving  to  ourselves  the  right  of  review,  of  control,  and, 
if  necessary,  of  correction. 

It  is  our  earnest  hope,  with  respect  to  the  brethren  thus  severed  from  us, 
that  both  parties  will  be  essentially  benefited  by  the  separation.  We  trust 
that  both  will,  henceforth,  proceed  in  the  conscientious  dfscharge  of  duty, 
without  being  crippled  or  embarrassed  by  each  other;  and  that  hereafter 
there  will  be  no  other  strife  between  us,  than  who  shall  love  the  Redeemer 
most,  and  who  shall  serve  him  with  the  warmest  zeal. 

We  have  already  adverted  to  the  unhappy  influence  which  has  been  ex- 
erted for  a  number  of  years  past,  by  certain  voluntary  societies  which,  though 
not  responsible  to  any  church  and  of  course,  therefore,  not  to  us,  were 
pursuing  a  train  of  measures  adapted,  covertly,  but  effectually  to  weaken 
her  energies,  and  govern  her  proceedings.  We  believe  that  if  there  be  any 
departments  of  Christian  effort  to  which  the  Church  of  Christ  is  bound,  in  her 
appropriate  character,  to  direct  her  attention,  and  her  unwearied  labours, 
they  are  those  which  relate  to  the  training  of  her  sons  for  the  holy  ministry, 
and  sending  the  Gospel  to  those  who  have  it  not,  and  planting  churches 
in  the  dark  and  destitute  portions  of  the  earth.  To  be  willing  to  commit 
either  of  these  branches  of  her  peculiar  work  to  foreign  and  irresponsible 
hands,  we  are  more  and  more  persuaded  is  unfaithfulness  to  the  best  intereste 
of  Zion,  and  adapted  fatally  to  injure  the  cause  of  Gospel  truth,  and  of  Pre«- 


APPENDIX.  25 

byterial  order.  Surely  if  the  Church  is  under  obligations,  not  only  to  main- 
tain in  her  own  bosom,  but  also  to  impart,  as  far  as  possible  to  the  whole 
world,  all  such  religious  knowledge,  worship  and  ordinances  as  God  hath 
revealed  in  his  word,  she  is  bound  to  see  to  it,  that  no  persons  shall  be  either 
educated  or  sent  forth  as  ministers,  who  are  not  well  instructed  in  her  doctrine 
and  order,  and,  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  firmly  attached  to  both.  This 
is  equally  a  dictate  of  duty  to  our  Master  in  heaven,  and  to  our  own  beloved 
institutions.  To  suffer  Boards  constituted  by  ourselves ;  pledged  to  adhere  to 
our  own  standards;  and  responsible  to  our  own  judicatories,  to  languish,  while 
we  sustain  and  strengthen  societies  over  which  we  have  no  control,  and 
which  are  gradually  undermining,  at  once,  our  purity,  and  of  course,  our 
real  strength,  while  professing  to  add  to  our  numbers,  would  he  manifestly 
as  unwise  as  it  would  be  criminal  in  those  who  profess  to  love  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  to  consider  her  as  conformed,  in  her  doctrine  and  order  to  the 
Apostolic  model. 

One  of  the  most  formidable  evils  of  the  present  crisis  is  the  wide  spread 
and  ever  restless  spirit  of  Radicalism,  manifest  both  in  ihe  Church,  and  in 
the  State.  Its  leading  principle  every  where  seems  to  be  to  level  all  order 
to  the  dust.  Mighty  only  in  the  power  to  destroy,  it  has  driven  its  deep  agi- 
tations through  the  bosom  of  our  beloved  Church.  Amidst  the  multiplied  and 
revolting  forms  in  which  it  has  appeared,  it  is  always  animated  by  one  princi- 
ple. It  is  ever  the  same  levelling,  revolutionary  spirit,  and  tends  to  the  same 
ruinous  results.  It  has,  in  succession,  driven  to  extreme  fanaticism  the  great 
cause  of  Revivals  of  Religion — of  Temperance — and  of  the  Rights  of  Man. 
It  has  aimed  to  transmute  our  pure  faith  into  destructive  heresy;  our  Scrip- 
tural order  into  confusion  and  misrule.  It  has  crowded  many  of  our  churches 
with  ignorant  zealots,  and  unholy  members ;  driven  our  pastors  from  their 
flocks;  and  with  strange  fire  consumed  the  heritage  of  the  Lord,  filling  our 
churches  with  confusion,  and  our  judicatories  with  conflict;  making  our  ven- 
erated name,  and  beloved  institutions  so  far  as  its  fearful  influence  extends,  a 
hissing  and  a  bye-word  before  the  American  people ;  and  even  threatening  the 
dissolution  of  our  National  union,  as  well  as  the  dismemberment  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church. 

While  we  have  endeavoured  to  take,  as  our  Master  enabled  us,  decisive 
measures  for  securing,  under  the  divine  blessing,  the  future  purity  and  peace 
of  our  body,  we  would  openly  admit,  dear  brethren,  that  mere  orthodoxy, 
and  regular  scriptural  government,  ought  not  to  be  considered  by  any 
church  as  the  only,  or  even  as  the  chief  objects  of  her  regard.  Let  it  never 
be  forgotten  that  truth,  whether  in  respect  to  doctrine  or  discipline,  is  in  order 
to  godliness ;  and  that  the  real  prosperity  and  glory  of  any  church  consists  in 
the  presence  and  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  enlightening,  reviving,  and  sanc- 
tifying her  members,  and  adding  to  their  numbers  daily  of  such  as  shall  be 
saved.  We  would,  therefore,  now  that  the  adorable  Head  of  the  Church  has 
enabled  us  in  some  measure  to  remove  from  our  body  the  most  prominent 
sources  of  division  and  strife,  humble  ourselves  before  God,  and  call  upon  all 
our  brethren  of  every  name,  with  us  to  seek  and  pray  without  ceasing  for 
those  reviving  and  converting  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  alone 
can  render  any  Church  what  it  ought  to  be, — a  real  blessing  to  the  world, 
and  a  nursery  for  heaven.  And  while  we  earnestly  desire  and  implore  this 
blessing,  let  us  remember  the  great  importance  of  distinguishing  between  gen- 
uine revivals  of  religion,  and  those  which  are  spurious  and  fanatical.  The 
former  are  the  product  of  Gospel  truth,  impressed  on  the  heart  and  conscience 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  The  latter  are  mere  excitements  of  natural  feel- 
mg,  produced  either  by  error,  or  by  some  other  form  of  human  machinery. 
In  proportion  as  the  former  prevail,  the  Church  is  prosperous  and  happy.  The 
latter,  however  arrogant  in  claim,  or  plausible  in  appearance,  are  only  fitted 
to  send  a  blight  on  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  and  to  deceive  and  destroy  the 

4 


86  APPENDIX. 

souls  of  men.  Wc  fear  that  not  a  little  of  that  which  has  assumed  the  preci- 
ous name  of  revivals,  in  various  parts  of  our  bounds,  is  of  this  latter  descrip- 
tion. This  lamentable  fact,  however,  creates  no  prejudice  in  our  minds 
against  genuine  revivals  of  religion.  It  rather  excites  us  to  desire  and  long 
for  tliem  with  more  ardour ;  to  pray  for  them  with  more  importunity  ;  to  pro- 
mote them  witii  more  care  by  an  edifying  example  ;  and  to  guard  against  all 
counterfeits  with  more  enlightened  vigilance. 

Brethren  farewell.  May  the  God  of  Israel  bless  you  all — every  one.  We 
love,  with  a  tenderness  which  we  cannot  utter,  our  own  portion  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  But  we  love  also  every  other  poition  of  the  inheri- 
tance, of  that  dear  Saviour — and  rejoicing  in  the  confident  hope  that  heaven 
will  ring  with  praises  of  the  redeemed  from  amongst  every  Christian  denomi- 
nation— our  ardent  and  constant  desire  is,  to  draw  the  bonds  of  union  between 
us,  and  all  the  rest,  as  close  as  possible  here  below.  Hence  the  present  epis- 
tle to  our  brethren.  Hence  our  earnest  desire  to  explain  clearly  to  them  our 
posture,  our  action,  and  the  solemn  crisis  which  having  first  overtaken  seve- 
ral of  our  sister  churches,  has  at  length  fallen  upon  us,  and  will  unquestiona- 
bly overtake,  in  succession,  all  denominations  of  Christians. 

And  now  may  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  set  the  seal  of  his  visible  approba- 
tion upon  what  his  providence  and  grace  have  enabled  us  to  do.  And  may 
you  brethren  be  preserved  from  the  evils  which  we  have  endured — or  be  en- 
abled to  meet  them  with  more  promptitude  and  fidelity  than  we  have  done. 

And  may  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  abide  richly  on  all  who  love 
his  holy  name. 

By  order  of  the  General  Assembly. 

DAVID  ELLIOTT,  Moderator. 

John  McDowell,  Stated  Clerk. 


PASTORAL  LETTER  TO  THE  CHURCHES  UNDER  THE  CARE  OF  THE 
GENERAL  A8SEMJJLY. 

Dear  Brethren, — As  the  doings  of  the  present  General  Assembly  have 
been  of  an  unusual  character  and  such  as  may  produce  important  consequen- 
ces, we  think  it  proper  to  lay  an  abstract  of  our  decisions,  and  the  reasons 
of  them,  before  the  churches  under  our  care.  Discerning  men  have  per- 
ceived for  a  number  of  years,  that  the  affairs  of  our  beloved  church,  were 
hastening  to  a  crisis ;  and  when  the  members  of  the  present  Assembly,  came 
together,  the  state  of  parties  was  such,  as  to  make  it  manifest,  that  a  division 
of  the  Church  was  the  most  desirable  object  that  could  be  effected.  What 
are  called  the  Old  School  and  New  School  parties  are  already  separated  in 
fact ;  in  almost  every  part  of  our  country,  where  those  parties  exist  they  have 
less  ministerial  or  Christian  communion  with  one  another,  than  either  of  those 
parties  has  with  Christians  of  other  denominations;  and  they  are  so  equally 
balanced  in  point  of  power,  that  for  years  past,  it  has  been  uncertain  until 
the  late  General  Assembly  was  fully  organized,  which  of  those  parties  would 
predominate  in  that  body. 

From  these  circumstances,  as  well  as  from  other  things,  not  necessary  to 
mention,  it  is  known  to  our  brethren,  that  the  floor  of  our  highest  judicatory, 
as  well  as  of  our  Synods  and  Presbyteries  have  tor  years  presented  scenes 
of  contention  and  strife,  such  as  many  of  us  never  expected  to  witness  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  such  as  arc  highly  disgraceful  to  our  Christian 
character.  This  spirit  of  contention  deprives  the  church  of  all  power  for  main- 
taining the  purity  of  her  standards,  and  securing  that  wholesome  instruction, 
either  in  our  pulpits  or  presses,  which  would  conduce  to  the  edification  of  the 
body  of  Christ;  and  until  the  parties  are  separated  and  formed  into  different 
denominations  there  is  no  ground  of  hope,  that  these  contentions  can  be  ter- 
minated. 


APPENDIX  87 

So  fully  was  this  Assembly  convinced,  thit  a  separation  oi"  the  parties,  was 
the  only  cure  for  the  evils  under  which  we  labour,  that  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed by  common  consent,  composed  of  equal  numbers  from  the  different 
sides  of  the  house,  to  adjust  if  possible  the  terms  of  an  amicable  division  of 
the  Church,  into  two  separate  and  independent  denominations.  This  joint 
committee  agreed  upon  the  principles  of  the  division  but  could  not  agree  upon 
the  form.  It  was  admitted  on  all  hands,  that  tlie  Old  School  party  should  re- 
tain the  name  and  the  fundsof  the  church,  and  especially  all  tlie  funds  and  pro- 
perty connected  with  the  Theological  Seminaries  at  Princeton  and  Pittsburgh. 
Eut  on  the  mode  of  separation  the  Committee  could  not  agree.  The  New 
School  party  would  consent  to  no  other  plan  than  that  of  referring  it  to  the 
Presbyteries  in  order  to  have  the  division  made  by  the  next  General  Assem- 
bly. To  this  plan,  the  other  party  thought  there  were  insuperable  objec- 
tions. It  was  believed,  that  our  Presbyteries  being  so  widely  dispersed,  the 
returns  from  them  would  be  uncertain;  that  many  things  might  occur  to  de- 
feat the  arrangement, — and  that  as  the  probable  result,  the  parties  would  come 
to  the  next  Assembly,  with  more  determination  to  contend  for  the  power  and 
government  of  the  whole  Church  than  on  any  former  occasion. 

On  reviewing  the  causes  from  which  our  troubles  have  arisen,  another 
plan  presented  itself  to  tlie  view  of  the  majority,  which  appeared  better 
calculated  to  effect,  in  a  peaceable  manner,  that  division  of  the  Church,  which 
all  seemed  to  consider  as  a  matter  of  indispensable  necessity.  The  conten- 
tions which  distract  the  Church  evidently  arose,  from  the  plan  of  union  formed 
in  1801  between  the  General  Assembly  and  the  Association  of  Connecticut. 
This  plan  was  indeed  projected  and  brought  into  operation  by  some  of  the 
wisest  and  best  men  the  Presbyterian  Church  has  ever  known,  and  it  evidently 
originated  from  the  purest  and  most  benevolent  motives.  It  has  however 
been  disastrous  in  its  effects.  We  mean  no  disrespect  to  the  Congregational- 
ists  of  New  England,  as  such  ;  indeed  there  is  no  denomination  of  Christians 
beyond  the  pale  of  our  own  church  whom  we  esteem  and  love  more  sincerely; 
and  yet  we  believe  that  the  attempt  by  this  plan  of  union  to  bring  Congre- 
gationalists  and  Presbyterians  into  the  same  denomination  has  been  the  princi- 
pal cause  of  those  dissentions  which  now  distract  and  rend  the  Church  to 
pieces. 

We  allude  to  these  circumstances  merely  for  the  purpose  of  explaining 
the  only  remedy  which  appears  applicable  to  our  present  troubles.  The  Plan 
of  Union  adopted  in  1801  was  evidently  unconstitutional  in  its  nature,  and  of 
a  tendency  to  subvert  the  institutions  and  distinctive  character  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  And  such  being  the  fact,  it  was  certainly  the  duty  of  the 
present  Assenibly  to  abrogate  said  plan  and  to  declare  it  void  from  the  begin- 
ning. From  this  act  of  abrogation,  and  from  the  declaration  that  it  was  void 
from  the  beginning,  it  would  necessarily  follow,  that  the  Churches,  Pres- 
byteries, and  Synods,  formed  under  said  plan,  were  of  course  not  to  be  con- 
sidered as  parts  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  From  this  view  of  the  subject, 
it  appears,  that  the  separation,  so  necessary  for  the  well  being  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  exists  already,  and  that  we  have  nothing  to  do,  but  to  act 
on  the  facts  of  the  case,  to  secure  our  tranquility. 

1.  In  the  first  place,  we  have  said  that  the  act  of  union  of  1801  was  un- 
constitutional. It  will  be  admitted  that  the  most  fundamental  and  sound 
parts  of  the  constitution  of  any  community,  are  those  parts  which  form  the 
legislative  and  judicial  councils  of  the  community,  and  designate  the  qualifi- 
cations of  the  members  of  said  councils.  These  are  parts  of  the  government, 
m  all  societies,  deemed  too  sacred  to  be  touched  by  any  authority,  excepting 
that  which  can  make  and  unmake  the  constitution  at  its  pleasure.  Should 
any  authority  in  the  United  States,  assume  to  introduce  into  the  State 
Legislatures  or  Congress,  men  not  constitutionally  qualified,  and  who  were 
subjects  of  another  political  power,  the  alarm  would  be  given  at  once,  that  a 


28  APPENDIX. 

most  violent  outrage  liad  been  inflicted  on  our  governments  and  our  rights. 
And  although  we  would  say  it  with  respect,  yet  we  must  say,  that  this  was 
the  very  thing  which  the  act  of  1601  effected  in  the  Constitution  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  By  that  act  committee-men,  belonging  to  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  and  under  its  government,  were  introduced  into  our  Presbyte- 
ries, and  by  the  subsequent  execution  of  the  act,  into  our  Synods  and  our 
General  Assembly.  Men  who  were  under  the  authority  of  a  body  without 
our  church,  e.xercised  the  highest  power  of  the  Church.  This  was  a  most 
palpable  infraction  of  our  constitution. 

In  the  next  place  all  the  churches  formed  and  constituted  under  the  ope- 
ration of  this  act  were  at  least,  as  much  trained  in  doctrine  and  church  or- 
der, on  the  Congregational  as  on  the  Presbyterian  plan,  and  had  just  as  much 
preparation  for  becoming  members  of  a  Congregational  as  of  a  Presbyterian 
church  ;  and  therefore  any  subsequent  acts  of  any  of  our  judicatories,  forming 
such  churches  into  Presbyteries  or  Synods,  and  connecting  them  with  us  as 
constituent  parts  of  our  body  were  unconstitutional.  This  has  been  the 
source  of  all  our  present  evils ;  the  raising  up  of  Presbyteries  and  Synods 
out  of  men  who  had  at  least  as  much  of  the  Congregational  as  Presbyterian 
character,  has  scattered  the  elements  of  discord  through  all  our  regions,  and 
torn  our  afflicted  Church  to  pieces.  These  indeed  were  consequences  not 
perceived  from  the  beginning ;  it  required  the  light  of  experience  to  teach 
us,  that  the  amalgamation  of  such  bodies  as  the  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterian would  produce  a  ferment  sufficient  to  agitate  the  whole  American 
nation. 

Having  traced  thus  far  the  unconstitutional  and  pernicious  tendency  of  this 
Act,  it  only  remains  to  say ;  that  when  this  act  is  abrogated  by  the  proper 
authority,  (as  a  matter  of  course,)  every  thing  which  arose  under  its  influ- 
ence and  training,  is  abrogated  with  it.  This  we  presume  is  the  ground  on 
which  all  the  jurisprudence  of  our  country  stands,  and  upon  which  all  our 
political  courts  and  legislatures  act.  It  has  indeed  been  said,  that  when  an 
unconstitutional  law  forms  a  contract,  the  abrogation  of  the  law  cannot  set 
the  contract  aside,  as  this  would  suppose  that  a  person  might  take  the  ad- 
vantage of  his  own  wrong  to  relieve  himself  from  a  just  obligation.  But  to 
this  it  may  be  answered,  that  an  unconstitutional  law  can  give  rise  to  no  bind- 
ing contract.  The  unconstitutionality  supposes  that  the  organ  of  government 
is  granting  what  it  has  no  right  to  grant,  and  therefore  no  obligation  can  be 
imposed.  But  in  the  present  case  the  Act  in  question  goes  to  the  subversion 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  therefore  any  contract  which  could  arise 
under  it  calculated  to  destroy  that  Church,  would  be  of  such  an  immoral 
tendency  as  could  impose  no  obligation ; — it  is  one  of  the  first  principles  of 
morals  that  an  unlawful  contract  is  not  to  be  fulfilled. 

It  then  appears  plain  to  us,  that  by  the  abrogation  of  the  act  of  1801,  the 
Synods  of  the  Western  Reserve,  Utica,  Genesee,  and  Geneva,  are  inde- 
pendent bodies  standing  on  their  own  ground,  and  free  to  choose  their  fu- 
ture connexions,  and  that  thus  far  a  separation  exists  between  us  and  them 
which  may  greatly  conduce  to  the  peace  and  comfort  of  both  parties;  and  as 
both  the  majority  and  minority  agreed  in  expressing  the  opinion,  that  a  di- 
vision of  the  Church  in  conformity  with  the  sympathies  of  the  present  parties, 
was  both  desirable  and  expedient,  we  were  much  surprised  to  find,  that 
the  minority  would  not  agree  with  us  in  carrying  out  the  existing  separation, 
so  as  to  form  the  Church  into  two  distinct  bodies,  either  of  which  would  be 
sufficiently  large  to  form  a  General  Assembly,  and  wiiicli  might  act  peaceably 
in  promoting  the  common  interests  of  our  Redeemer's  kingdom.  In  our  pre- 
sent connexion  there  is  no  hope  of  peace.  The  controversy  threatens  to  be- 
come more  fierce,  more  extensive,  and  more  destructive  of  all  the  vital  prin- 
ciples of  religion  the  longer  we  continue  together.  Indeed  the  great  mo- 
tives for  all  the  measures  of  separation  to  wliich  we  have  resorted  on  the 


APPENDIX.  29 

present  occasion  are  the  peace,  prosperity,  and  holiness  of  our  beloved 
Church,  and  these  objects  we  believe  can  never  be  obtained,  until  this  sepa- 
ration is  effected. 

Our  brethren  of  the  minority  seemed  to  consider  it  as  an  insult,  when  we 
urged  the  fact,  that  the  abrogation  of  an  unconstitutional  law  left  us  as  dis- 
tinct and  separate  bodies ; — we  intended  no  insult ;  the  ground  we  took  and 
the  language  we  used  implied  none  ;  we  only  said  that  they  were  separate 
from  us,  and  we  from  them ;  if  this  implied  disgrace  on  them  it  implied 
the  same  on  ourselves;  we  wished  both  parties  to  consider  themselves  as 
on  equal  ground;  and  as  to  the  unconstitutional  law  from  which  all  our 
misapprehensions  had  arisen  we  were  willing  that  the  greater  blame  should 
lie  on  us.  In  fact  our  wish  was  and  is  to  part  as  brethren,  and  as  in  certain 
important  points  of  doctrine  and  Church  order  we  cannot  agree,  let  each 
party  take  the  word  of  God  as  their  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  pursue 
their  course,  as  those  who  must  give  account  to  "the  Great  Shepherd  and 
Bishop  of  their  souls. 

We  have  now,  dear  brethren,  briefly  explained  the  reasons,  for  the  course 
we  have  taken  on  the  present  occasion,  and  we  believe  it  would  have 
been  a  blessing  to  our  Church  if  the  measures  now  adopted  had  been  re- 
sorted to  at  an  earlier  period.  The  progress  of  controversy  has  greatly 
destroyed  brotherly  confidence.  Indeed,  the  union  between  the  parties,  for 
several  years,  has  only  existed  in  name ;  in  fact,  they  have  been  two  sepa- 
rate bodies,  and  we  believe  the  sooner  they  are  brought  to  consider  them- 
selves as  forming  distinct  denominations,  the  sooner  will  they  return  to  the 
spirit  and  principles  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

We  must  observe  in  conclusion,  that  on  whatever  side  the  principal  fault  of 
our  present  disturbances  may  lie,  the  whole  Church  has  abundant  cause  of 
deep  humiliation  and  repentance  before  Almighty  God.  Our  calamities  have 
not  arisen  from  the  dust;  our  Heavenly  Father  has  stretched  forth  his  hand 
over  us,  and  let  us  acknowledge  "  the  rod  and  Him  that  hath  appointed  it." 
Let  us  return  to  him  that  he  may  return  to  us, — if  he  has  wounded,  it  is  he 
alone  that  can  heal :  if  he  hath  broken  down  he  can  build  us  up. 

By  order  of  the  General  Assembly. 

DAVID  ELLIOTT,  Moderator. 

John  McDowell,  Stated  Clerk. 

Philadelphia,  June  8,  1837. 


(   30 


REMARKS. 


It  may  not  be  irrelevant  to  state,  in  addition  to  the  information  conveyed 
in  the  two  circular  letters  of  the  Assembly  which  the  Committee  have  thought 
it  advisable  to  append  to  the  Minutes  of  the  Convention,  that  since  the  ad- 
journment of  the  Assembly,  attempts  have  been  made  by  the  New-school 
party  through  the  press,  and  by  means  of  public  meetings,  to  awaken  general 
indignation  against  the  proceedings  of  the  Supreme  Judicatory  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  These  attempts,  if  successful  at  all,  have  been  so,  only  to 
a  very  limited  extent.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  when  the  momentary 
excitement  shall  have  subsided,  the  good  sense  and  intelligence  of  men  of  all 
denominations  will  approve  the  course  pursued  by  the  General  Assembly  as 
the  only  one  adapted  to  effect  the  purilicaticn  and  insure  the  permanent 
peace  of  the  Church. 

There  is  reason  to  believe,  however,  that  no  effort  will  be  omitted  during 
the  present  ecclesiastical  year  to  counteract  the  decisions  to  which  the  friends 
of  reform  have  been  forced  by  the  emergency  of  the  Church.  Already  are 
they  menaced  with  law-suits;  soon  will  they  be  called  to  hear  the  official 
anathemas  of  the  New-school  Presbyteries ;  and  means  are  about  to  be 
adopted  to  tamper  with  the  Orthodox  Presbyteries,  in  tlie  hope  of  influencing 
them  to  disclaim  all  participation  in  the  acts  of  their  late  Commissioners  to 
the  Assembly.  In  this  latter  attempt  we  cannot  for  a  moment  believe,  that 
they  will  be  at  all  successful.  These  Presbyteries  when  they  have  examined 
the  reasons  of  the  Assembly  which  justified  their  acts,  will  at  once  perceive, 
that  they  adopted  the  only  alternative  left  them,  and  that  had  they  not  acted 
as  they  did,  the  Church  would  have  been  irretrievably  injured.  The  Ortho- 
dox Presbyteries  will  also  perceive,  that  if  they  do  nut  fully  support  the  As- 
sembly in  its  late  decisions,  the  whole  controversy  must  be  renewed  with  re- 
doubled acrimony,  and  the  Presbyterian  Church  will  be  sunk  into  disgrace. 
The  Ciiurch  has  lost  nothing  by  the  removal  of  the  four  Synods,  as  they  con- 
tain but  a  very  few  genuine  Presbyterians  who  can  easily  gain  a  re-admit- 
tance. But  if  all  the  Synods  should  be  restored,  their  constant  effort  would 
be  to  excommunicate  the  Orthodox.  The  simple  question  then  is,  shall  we 
retain  our  present  vantage  ground,  or  shall  wc  resign  it  to  our  opposers  who 
will  use  it  for  our  destruction  ?  No  Orthodox  man  can  have  any  hesitation 
in  deciding  this  point.  We  would  therefore  by  way  of  hint  to  the  Presby- 
teries, say, 

1.  Be  not  alarmed  by  the  threats  of  law-suits,  as  they  who  are  best  quali- 
fied to  judge  in  the  matter,  are  of  opinion  that  the  proceedings  of  the  Assem- 
bly will  be  fully  sustained  by  any  court  of  law  before  which  they  may  be 
made  to  pass  in  review. 

2.  Be  upon  your  guard  against  the  publications  which  the  New-school  will 


APPENDIX.  31 

scatter  among  you,  and  the  other  artful  means  they  may  employ  to  induce  you 
to  reverse  at  the  next  Assembly  what  you  have  so  nobly  done  in  the  last. 

3.  Guard  carefully  against  the  admission  of  new  members  into  your  Pres- 
byteries, especially  where  the  present  Orthodox  majority  is  not  strong,  as 
there  will  probably  be  an  attempt  to  cast  the  scale,  in  such  cases,  in  favour  of 
New-schoolism  during  the  present  year. 

4.  At  the  earliest  possible  period  let  each  Presbytery  strongly  and  une- 
quivocally express  their  approbation  'of  the  proceedings  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, as  this  will  greatly  tend  to  strengthen  the  cause  of  orthodoxy,  and  to 
discourage  any  further  attempt  at  revolutionizing  our  beloved  Church. 

5.  Let  extreme  caution  be  used  in  selecting  commissioners  for  the  next 
Assembly,  that  they  may  be  men  of  firmness  and  decision,  whose  principles 
and  policy  are  not  at  all  doubtful,  but  who  will  courageously  carry  out  the  work 
which  has  been  so  gloriously  begun.  Some  judicious  men  have  thought  that 
it  would  not  be  amiss,  if  the  same  commissioners  who  so  well  redeemed  their 
trust  in  the  late  Assembly,  should  be  reappointed,  as  they  are  already  well 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  affairs. 

6.  Let  the  Presbyteries  make  early  efforts  to  collect  money  to  defray  the 
travelling  expenses  of  their  commissioners  to  the  next  Assembly. 

7.  A  friendly  interchange  of  opinions  by  means  of  correspondence,  between 
orthodox  Presbyteries,  would  have  the  happiest  influence  in  promoting  that 
kind  of  union  which  is  strength. 

The  most  trying  and  difficult  part  of  the  contest  is  over ;  and  all  that  is 
now  wanting  to  complete  and  final  success,  is  that  the  next  Assembly  should 
ratify  what  the  last  has  done.  Peace  may  soon  be  restored  to  the  Church, 
and  with  peace,  her  usefulness  will  return.  We  are  happy  to  state  that 
what  has  been  called  the  moderate  party  in  the  Church,  fully  approves  of 
these  proceedings;  the  orthodox  are  now  united;  and  if  their  union  and 
vigilance  are  continued  another  year,  all  will  be  well,  and  the  voice  of  con- 
troversy will  no  longer  be  heard. 


i 


1 


til  ,'^r  '  vr      ._.  ._— . 


'^^TE  DUP 


i 


WW   *' 


:j 


v  M»>g 


"I'^J^^^&y^^y" 


L^-r 


